(spotted on facebook)

We often hear the “Savior” characteristics of God stressed – His love, mercy, goodness and so on – but the matter of His lordship is absent. The distortion is particularly clear in evangelism. In modern practice the call to repentance is usually called an “invitation,” which one can obviously accept or refuse. It is offered politely. Seldom do we hear presented God’s sovereign demand to repent or His demand for total submission to the authority of His appointed king, Christ Jesus.

James Montgomery Boice

Beware: Most Churches Deny Teaching Works For Salvation, But They Do Teach Works

IFB Baptists, Southern Baptists, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Christ of Christ, Church of God, Calvinist Churches, and Other Churches All Teach Works Salvation, Despite the Fact they Deny Teaching Works. They All Add Works to Salvation. They Deny Teaching Works by Falsely Claiming, what they Add to Salvation is Not Works. Jesus Plus Anything Else Is Not Salvation. It is Works, No Matter what Anyone…

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(via LET US RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO LOOK UNTO JESUS CHRIST.)

Jesus Is Lord (Revelation 21:5-27)

“And now I make all things new!” Jesus

“The Risen Lord” by Chinese artist He Qi, 2001 Then the one who sits on the throne said, “And now I make all things new!” He also said to me, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.” And he said, “It is done! I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end. To anyone who is thirsty I will give the right to drink from the spring of the water of life without paying for…

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Your life should reflect Christ

Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then, whether I visit you or not, I will hear that all of you think alike. I will know that you are working together and are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news. Philippians 1:27 CEV

The Holy Spirit is reminding us today to live in a way we reflect Christ in our daily lives. The word of God today is a call to unity and steadfastness in living out the gospel message.

So Let me break down what God is saying in his word today:

1. "You must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ": Here, we are reminded of the importance of living in a manner that reflects the teachings and values of the gospel. It is not about you professing belief in Christ, but also you must demonstrate your faith through your actions and your conduct.

2. "So that whether I come and see you or am absent": Paul was telling Philippians whether he is with them or not, their conduct should remain consistent. This underscores the idea that their commitment to the gospel should not waver based on external circumstances or the presence of particular leaders.

3. "I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel": Paul desired to hear reports of the Philippians' unity and dedication to the faith. Because one of the main reflection of Christ in us is unity. If we live and work in unity, we are portraying the love of Christ in us to the world. This way the world will know we are children of the Most High.

Overall, the word of God today serves as a reminder to us to live lives that reflect the transformative power of the gospel, to remain steadfast in our faith regardless of circumstances, and to prioritize unity and cooperation in our efforts to spread the message of Christ.

Regardless of the cultural context, we are called to exemplify Christ in all aspects of our lives, transforming the world around us for the glory of God.

Now; here are the affirmations of Christ's character and image, along with the renunciation of conformity to worldly things:

1. Affirmation of Christ's Character: "I affirm that Christ's character is my model and example in all things. I strive to emulate his love, kindness, and compassion in every aspect of my life." (Phil 2:5-8)

2. Renunciation of Conformity to Worldly Things: "I renounce conformity to the values and patterns of this world. Instead, I choose to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, aligning myself with the will of God and rejecting anything that contradicts his truth." (Rom 12:2)

3. Affirmation of Reflecting Christ's Light: "I affirm that I am called to be a light in the world, shining brightly with the virtues of Christ—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I strive to reflect Christ's light in all that I do, bringing glory to God in every circumstance." (Mt 5:14-16)

4. Renunciation of Dishonorable Conduct: "I renounce dishonorable conduct and resolve to keep my behavior honorable among others. Even in the face of opposition or criticism, I will maintain integrity and righteousness, knowing that my actions speak volumes about the character of Christ within me." (1Pet 2:12)

5. Affirmation of Living in Christ's Name: "I affirm that everything I do, whether in word or deed, is to be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. I give thanks to God the Father through him, acknowledging his lordship over my life and seeking to glorify him in all things." (Col 3:17)

AMEN!

Joy & Assurance

Luke 2:22-35, Psalm 97

In today’s reading, we meet Simeon - a righteous man who was close to the Father and was looking forward to Israel’s consolation. He knew thanks to the Holy Spirit that he would get to meet the Messiah before passing away and was holding fast to that promise. Experts believe that he could have been about 200 years old when the day finally came! Can you imagine how he must have felt some days during that span of time? When you’re in a season of waiting, it’s not really something that you want to brag about. There’s often conflicting feelings between the excitement towards the goodness that is to come and the discontentment towards the season that you’re currently in. It can lead to us feeling stuck, confused, isolated, and impatient. But when that day of blessing and closure comes, how incredible is it?

The day that Simeon had been expectantly waiting for finally arrived, and it’s like he finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. God remembered the promise He made, He fulfilled it, and Simeon got to see His faithfulness in the most pure and holy form played out in front of him. This line in his prophetic praise sums it up: “My eyes have seen your salvation”. What an absolute privilege that must have been! He knew that this young, innocent baby was going to be so much more than just that; Jesus was going to be the mighty warrior to shatter the schemes of the enemy.

Just as Simeon walked in joy and assurance of God being reliably Himself, we can as well. In Psalm 97, the Psalmist describes just how sovereign our God is. He says that “righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne”, that “the mountains melt like wax before the LORD”, and that “the heavens proclaim his righteousness”. At a glance, this may instill a fear of the Lord, which is a completely appropriate response. But it shouldn’t go unnoticed that this Psalm opens with the line, “The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad”. This establishes a standard of celebration of who God is! We can walk daily with the assurance that Simeon walked in because of Christ’s Lordship. We can rest in His promises and know that they will be fulfilled. We can worship, leading us to joy and eternal rest.

November 20

John 15:12 Jesus said, “This is My commandment: love each other just as I have loved you.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Matthew 22:37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Psalm 92:14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.

Jeremiah 24:7 And I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

May you allow the Lord to draw you closer to Him, into His inner courts, where you can cleanse your hands and feet, made dusty from all you have done and where you have been while ministering to others, so that you can turn and minister to Him as you worship Him in the beauty of His holiness. Ezekiel 40

May you realize, with humility-inspiring awe, that the holy God Who created the universe and cannot be contained, even in the heavens, chooses to dwell in fellowship with you, allowing His majesty to be clothed in flesh, just as His temple, built of enduring stone, was covered with wood into which was carved the enduring truth of His love and the abundant evidence of His mercy. Ezekiel 41

May you bring every desire to God, right or wrong, good or bad, and submit them to Him, accepting His response, not searching for other ways or sources; you will not shock the Lord, for He knows every thought and impulse you have, and He understands the ways of the flesh and knows the thoughts that come, unbidden, to mind, so give them to the One Who is strong enough to overcome them and compassionate enough to love you fully even as He knows you fully. James 4

May you remember that friendship with the world is hatred toward God, and to choose to be a friend of the world is to become an enemy of God. James 4

May you submit yourself to God, for He gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud, so when you resist the devil, he will flee, and when you draw near to God, He will come near to you. James 4

May you cleanse your hands from the residue of the sin you have left behind and purify your heart from the things of the world that divide your loyalty to God, letting tears of repentance for your previous choices, and sorrowful grieving for others' behavior bring you into the presence of God, for as you humble yourself before Him, He will lift you up. James 4

May you not speak against your brother or sister in Christ, for you will be speaking against God's law, which does not make you a doer of the law, but a judge of the law, and of the Lawgiver, the only One Who is able to save and to destroy. James 4

May you acknowledge the sovereignty of God in your plans, confessing by your words that He alone holds the future in His hands, submitting all that you are and everything that you plan unto the lordship of Christ Jesus Who is your Head and Master, and put aside all boasting and bragging which is based on your own resources and abilities, for to know the good you ought to do and not do it is sin. James 4

My child, I am sending you forth as a messenger to carry My tidings to all. Spend time with Me, My dear one. Listen to My words and tune yourself to My heart. Quiet yourself, My precious one, from the activities and anxieties of what is around you. Know that, in truth, I hold all of your circumstances in My hand. Understand that you can rest in the peace which that realization creates in your heart. You are to not simply speak of Me, My sent one, but you are to live for Me. Engage in all that occurs around you, encountering all that life brings. Respond through My Spirit, My caring one, walking out My Word. For unless those who dwell in the world see My love in your life as you deal with the same things they deal with, how will they know the truth of My promises, and the strength of My compassion, and the reality of My victory?

May you enter the gates of righteousness when He opens them and give thanks to the Lord. Psalm 118

May you give thanks to the Lord for He has answered you and become your salvation, granting you the right to enter His gates with the righteous. Psalm 118

May you be glad and rejoice in the day that the Lord has made, considering it marvelous in your eyes the way that the Lord has made the stone, which the builders rejected, to become the capstone. Psalm 118

May you bless the Lord, for He saves you and grants you success, shining His light upon you as you bless Him. Psalm 118

May you give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever. Psalm 118

May you nurture the poor and the needy, encouraging them to flourish and bring forth a harvest of praise to the Lord. Proverbs 28:3

May you keep the law of love and resist the wicked. Proverbs 28:4

May you seek the Lord continually, for you will gain a full understanding of His justice. Proverbs 28:5

Justification for the Crusades

Justification for the Crusades

“Exo 6:2  And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah: 

Exo 6:3  and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them. 

Exo 6:4  And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojourning’s, wherein they sojourned.”

I believe I needed to start here. God, Yahweh reveals himself to Moses in a different manner than Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. He reminds Moses of the covenant he made with them, and he reveals for the first time His Lordship and the Authority of His name. Christians now know the power in the name of Jesus. God is setting the stage to deliver His people out of slavery, and into this “Promised Land.”

Soon after God delivered them out of slavery Amalek attacked them in the wilderness. Exodus 17:8-16 gives us the account of this pivotal event because that ends with the LORD swearing to have War with Amalek from generation to generation.

If we back up to Exodus 15 we read about “The Song of Moses” where Israel sings the words “The Lord (Yahweh) is a man of War: the Lord (Yahweh) is his name” The Old Testament, from this point forward is full of great battles, from Jericho to Gideon's campaign, to The siege of Jebus, which essentially was David leading the Israelites to take Jerusalem. We know, without a doubt that Israel is called to war by God, the question then is, are Christians under the new covenant called to War?

When people say that Christians are just as violent as Islam, and then use the Crusades as the main example, they make a great point. I am sure the Crusaders were ruthless and savage, nothing even resembling our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but anyone who has been in war will tell you “War is Hell”

So where does the Christian Justification come in? The Kingdom of Heaven is not exclusive to Jerusalem. “We know we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but principalities and dark forces” (Eph 6:12) We know that defending our families and loved ones with our lives is justified, but should Christians be “Militarized” if so, for what? This is the real question. Islam organized a military after centuries of battling the Roman Empire, eventually becoming the Eastern Holy Roman Empire.

Rome never conquered the peninsula of Arabia. They seized enough land in modern Kuwait to establish trade routes, but the regions hosting Mecca and modern-day Riyadh were never conquered.

When Muhammed began his teachings in 613 A.D. it was not in a region conquered by the Roman Empire. It was 300 years after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Though Rome had footholds, it had never truly conquered the lands and its people.

The Arabian Peninsula was also home to the descendants of the tribes and nations fighting against Israel for well over millennia. Jericho was conquered in 1400 B.C. which would indicate two full MILLENIA'S before Muhammed. The roots of animosity and justification had to run so deep.

I have not studied the Quran so I do not know Muhammed's justification for Islam to lay siege to Jerusalem (636-637), nor do I know what the catalyst for their conquest of North Africa and eventually into Europe was. One thing was made clear...Islam had declared war on not just the descendants of Moses, and not just the Byzantine Empire, but on all of Christianity.

Once Christianity brought the Crusades the pride in the hearts of man had justified their means. Nobody was innocent anymore, nobody was right.

Even though I acknowledge any Christian excuse for War as hypocritical, I do believe that war is inevitable in the preparation of the Bride. Christians have been tasked with spreading the good news, the Apostles died as Martyrs for this Good news, the early church was persecuted for this good news and Christianity thrived.

Is this what it means? For us to all be Martyrs? To not be lovers of violence? That if we live by the sword, we will die by the sword? Are followers of Christ destined to be slaughtered as the Lamb himself? Is this the depths of laying down one's life? Did Christ die that we might die, or that we may have Life? Is Life worth fighting for?

Christ does not want His Men to be weak, nor allow crimes perpetrated upon their families! To allow our mothers and daughters to be conquered and raped? Enslaved? Jesus would never stand by and allow this.

Since I do believe that violence is to be met with violence, to defend against violence perpetrated upon my family, I believe one must Establish boundaries and borders. Borders that infer "This is where I draw the line" “This is mine, and I will defend this to my last breath to protect it.”

If you do not, dark forces will try to stamp you out. Hitler tried very very hard to exterminate all that was Jewish. The world will always create an enemy of God's people. Socialism, Communism, Nazism, Islam, Satanism, Witchcraft. The enemy has even turned Christianity against Christianity. From the great schism to the protestant reformation. Protestant Americans in southern U.S. states killed Jewish students from the northern states because they hated them. Northern and Southern Ireland had a Civil War with Protestants backing the Queen's rule in the North and Catholics fighting for independence in the South.

As I establish My boundaries in life, perhaps I seek out others to collectively protect our beliefs and families. To keep them safe from wolves, and roaring lions that look around seeking to devour. Perhaps this fellowship of creating borders, and boundaries causes us to form a community, or perhaps a tribe. Perhaps we reach out to other tribes to collectively further our boundaries because of strength in numbers, perhaps we create a nation or Kingdom. If the American media has taught us anything in the last four years, it's that not having borders will allow chaos and enemies inside your homes.

Now, applying this reasoning to our Christian morality, we will eventually come full circle to "Where" exactly we believe we should establish our boundaries. Is Christianity exclusive to Europe and The U.S.A.? Is Catholicism exclusive only to Italy? Is the Orthodox church exclusive only to Russia? Are all the different denominations simply trying to establish their foothold in regions? If so, then so is Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Do I believe in Israel or Christianity maintaining the boundary and authority over Jerusalem?

Yes...

I unapologetically confirm that I stand with Israel, especially since I was raised by a long line of American veterans to never forget the past. I was shown the footage of Auschwitz, and Dachau. I remember the black-and-white footage of Jews standing in lines being marched into showers, and ovens. I will never stand before my God and say I did nothing to prevent that from happening...again.

“God hates a Coward.” "Rak Chazak Amats"

Israel's God is my Lord and savior's Father, but I believe in the Trinity, so their God is my God even if they look down on us for believing that Jesus is the Christ. Even if they are not saved due to their denial of Jesus, I will support them.

I believe the Crusades are justified... because I believe Israel should always have a home.

 Mat 10:34  “Think not that I have come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword”. 

Ecclesiastes 3:8  “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

Until Christ comes again, I believe we are stuck in this age of Warfare. The only way to world peace is in Christ.  

Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)

Commemorated on April 28

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion, You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!

Palm Sunday is the celebration of the triumphant entrance of Christ into the royal city of Jerusalem. He rode on a colt for which He Himself had sent, and He permitted the people to hail Him publicly as a king. A large crowd met Him in a manner befitting royalty, waving palm branches and placing their garments in His path. They greeted Him with these words: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! (John 12:13).

This day together with the raising of Lazarus are signs pointing beyond themselves to the mighty deeds and events which consummate Christ’s earthly ministry. The time of fulfillment was at hand. Christ’s raising of Lazarus points to the destruction of death and the joy of resurrection which will be accessible to all through His own death and resurrection. His entrance into Jerusalem is a fulfillment of the messianic prophecies about the king who will enter his holy city to establish a final kingdom. “Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass” (Zech 9:9).

Finally, the events of these triumphant two days are but the passage to Holy Week: the “hour” of suffering and death for which Christ came. Thus the triumph in a earthly sense is extremely short-lived. Jesus enters openly into the midst of His enemies, publicly saying and doing those things which mostly enrage them. The people themselves will soon reject Him. They misread His brief earthly triumph as a sign of something else: His emergence as a political messiah who will lead them to the glories of an earthly kingdom.

The liturgy of the Church is more than meditation or praise concerning past events. It communicates to us the eternal presence and power of the events being celebrated and makes us participants in those events. Thus the services of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday bring us to our own moment of life and death and entrance into the Kingdom of God: a Kingdom not of this world, a Kingdom accessible in the Church through repentance and baptism.

On Palm Sunday palm and willow branches are blessed in the Church. We take them in order to raise them up and greet the King and Ruler of our life: Jesus Christ. We take them in order to reaffirm our baptismal pledges. As the One who raised Lazarus and entered Jerusalem to go to His voluntary Passion stands in our midst, we are faced with the same question addressed to us at baptism: “Do you accept Christ?” We give our answer by daring to take the branch and raise it up: “I accept Him as King and God!”

Thus, on the eve of Christ’s Passion, in the celebration of the joyful cycle of the triumphant days of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, we reunite ourselves to Christ, affirm His Lordship over the totality of our life, and express our readiness to follow Him to His Kingdom:

... that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:10-11).

Very Rev. Paul Lazor

When we were buried with You in Baptism, O Christ God, we were made worthy of eternal life by Your Resurrection! Now we praise You and sing: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!

Sitting on Your throne in heaven, carried on a foal on earth, O Christ God! Accept the praise of angels and the songs of children who sing: Blessed is He that comes to recall Adam!

The Lordship of Jesus Christ is not quite forgotten among Christians, but it has been relegated to the hymnal where all responsibility toward it may be comfortably discharged in a glow of religious emotion. Or if it is taught as a theory in the classroom it is rarely applied to practical living. The idea that the Man Christ Jesus has absolute final authority over the whole church and over its members in every detail of their lives is simply not now accepted as true by the rank and file of evangelical Christians.

Aiden Wilson Tozer

TURNING THE TIDE

Luke 11:13, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him."

In the story of the prodigal son where the father killed the fattened calf and gave the returned son the signet ring and the robe -- the elder brother was hugely upset and complaining. The father's response to the elder son was, "All I have is yours..."

Luke 15:31, "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

In other words the father was saying, "It has been here for you the entire time." The father shows us how this elder son, which represents someone caught up in the rituals of religiosity, never accessed what had rightfully been his all along.

TURNING THE TIDE

One of the most powerful ways we can "turn the tide" of what is going on in our lives and the things going on around us is through our surrendered worship. Maybe you feel like the tide is against you right now. Realize that you can turn the tide through your simplicity of worship to the Lord. Through the spirit of worship we are able to access the realms of glory where revelation flows (Revelation 19:10).

ACCESS A FREEDOM CONSCIOUSNESS

The Word of God is truth but it needs to be accompanied with the Spirit of Revelation, just as Jesus told Peter that He would build His Church on the rock of revelation.

Matthew 16:17-18, "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.'"

What Jesus was referring to here was not a one-time event in Peter's life or in our lives, but a continual flow of the Spirit of Revelation in us (Ephesians 1:17). Without the light of revelation making God's Word alive to us, it is still just ink on paper. God's Spirit makes the Word of God alive in our hearts (through affirmation, meditation, and visualizing the Word), thereby, propelling us into a place of living light and revelation concerning the truth of God.

Psalm 119:105, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

 Our worship powerfully transforms us and the atmosphere around us because it has an innate heavenly multi-faceted effect upon our lives.

 Worship: (in the context of vocalization and surrender to God):

Causes us to be filled with a Holy Spirit consciousness, making us habitations of God.

Changes the spiritual climates surrounding us.

Refreshes our spirit, soul, and body.

Enables us to enter into the courts of the Lord.

Establishes the Lordship of Christ in our hearts.

Ephesians 5:18-20, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

ACCESSING OUR VAST INHERITANCE

Realize that the Holy Spirit is an essential ingredient for your life to flourish by leading you into an understanding of God's Christ calling on your life getting you to a place where you can bear fruit that remains for His Kingdom..

Get your fresh bread from the Holy Spirit. Turn the tide of your life through the simplicity of devotion and worship. If you need to learn how to worship, then ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Yield yourself to God casting everything you are and have upon Him. Jesus said, in Luke 11:13, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him."

Realize what your Father has for you by asking, knocking, and seeking until you come to understand God's PURPOSE for your life, and begin to turn the tide through aggressively discipling new believers into their Christ identity, thereby, advancing His Kingdom. A fresh heart of worship will break you through to a new place where the rivers of living waters flow freely out of the depths of your heart!

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Behind so much of the language of tolerance, acceptance, and non-judgmentalism in regard to religion is the profound [yet false] conviction that religious truth is unavailable to us and that it finally doesn’t matter what one believes as long as one subscribes to certain ethical principles. Provided one is a decent person, [many claim,] who cares if he or she is a devout Christian, Buddhist, Jew, or Muslim— or nonbeliever? And if that is the case, then why wouldn’t we see the variety of religions as a positive, one more expression of the diversity that so beguiles the contemporary culture? And given this epistemological indifferentism, wouldn’t any attempt at “conversion” be nothing more than arrogant aggression? [The reality is that] the Catholic Church places an enormous emphasis on doctrinal correctness. It most assuredly thinks that religious truth is available to us and that having it (or not having it) matters immensely. It does not hold that “being a nice person” is somehow sufficient, either intellectually or morally; otherwise, it would never have spent centuries hammering out its creedal statements with technical precision. And it most certainly does maintain that evangelization is its central, pivotal, most defining work. St. Paul himself said, “Woe to me if I do not evangelize” (1 Cor. 9:16); and Pope St. Paul VI declared that the Church is nothing but a mission to spread the Gospel. Neither the first-century St. Paul nor the twentieth-century St. Paul thought for a moment that evangelizing is tantamount to imperialism or that religious “diversity” is somehow an end in itself. Rather, both wanted the whole world to be brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This is precisely why every institution, every activity, every program of the Church is dedicated, finally, to announcing Jesus... When any Catholic institution, ministry, or outreach forgets its evangelical purpose, it has lost its soul. 

Bishop Robert Barron

(via Through Him All Things Were Created)

Through Him All Things Were Created

https://www.unitedbyprayer.com/united-by-prayer-wall/through-him-all-things-were-created

The eternal, invisible, self-existent God was to set aside His glory and to clothed Himself in frail, human flesh and be born as the perfect, mortal man, destined to die a criminal's death. And He did it for you, and He did it for me. The LORD Jesus Christ is the incarnate Word of God through Whom all things were created and by Whom all things hold-fast together. In the beginning, the LORD Jesus Christ laid the foundation of the earth. By the might of His power, He flung stars into space, and yet foolish man exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. Through Him All Things Were Created, all things in heaven and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities, all things have been created by Him and for Him. The LORD Jesus Christ was born to die as the sacrifice for humanity's sin so that all who believe on Him might be reborn from above and live with Him forever

.And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

Our United Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus, the Word of God Who created the heavens and the earth. We stand in awe at the magnificence of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and His eternally appointed judicial role as King-of-kings and Lord-of-lords. Thank You for sending Jesus to be our Savior. May we live our lives to His praise and glory, now and forever. In Jesus' name we Pray, AMEN

Worship That Is Fit For a King (Colossians 1:11-20)

Jesus is King. Neither you, nor I, are. 

17th century Ethiopian Orthodox depiction of the glorified Christ [May you be] strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into…

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