The Cross

Posted on August 6, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18).

Cross (Def): (Gr.): Stauros: A stake, post, pole used as an instrument of death; the Atonement of Christ, Self-denial

The Theology of the Cross is a revelation into the nature, mind and heart of God. This revelation was fully expressed in the Son of God who was given to us by the Father for the purpose of Redemption, Atonement for sin and to bring forth a New Creation wherein dwells the full manifestation of the Glory of God.

Jesus taught us the preeminence of the Cross as a qualification for being His Disciple:

“And he that takes not his cross and follows after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38).

“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack, go your way, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come take up the cross and follow Me'” (Mark 15:21).

“And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

The Cross is the great divide that separates the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats, the saved from the lost. The Theology of the Cross shines forth the light of the Gospel and was the great divide in the life of the Apostle Paul.

Prior to being the Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee, a keeper of the Law by the strictest Sect who promoted self-righteousness with a zeal for God that excelled all others. Yet, Saul of Tarsus forsook all that was gain in self-achievement to embrace the Cross of Christ in self-denial and became Paul, the Apostle of Christ, who by his own testimony declared:

“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the Tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the Law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the Church, touching the righteousness of the Law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:4-8).

The embrace of the Cross by the Apostle was evident in his life and in his Epistles. The Cross was the means of Paul’s pursuit of knowing Christ and his abandonment of the world and his own self interests.

“But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross or our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).

The Cross was the Apostle’s entrance into the Life of Christ and the entrance of Christ as his Life in him as he stated also in his Epistle to the Galatians:

“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

And as he also expressed in his Epistle to the Colossians:

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Through the Cross we enter into the Life of God and the Life of God enters us and the New Creation begins. It is a glorious transaction and transformation of Life, from the old to the new, from the world to the Kingdom, from the earthly to the heavenly, from the flesh to the Spirit. Oh, what a glorious salvation God has wrought in the Cross.

Have you experienced your transformation? Are you struggling with trying to find your faith? Embrace the Cross. It is in dying we live. It is in becoming empty we are filled. It is in losing all we gain the true riches, eternal life. Surrender it all to Jesus, today.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. . .who being found in fashion as a man, humbled Himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a Name above every name; that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father” (Philippians 2:5, 8-11).

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Devoted

Posted on August 3, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“They devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles and to fellowship with one another, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42) Williams

Devoted (Def): (Gr.): Proskartereo, from Pros, Kartereo: Steadfast, Earnest towards, Continuously diligent, Assiduously attendant upon, Closely adhered to, Wait on continually

To be devoted pertaining to a person, place, cause or thing is to be dedicated to it above and beyond the casual observance or participation in it. Devotion is to be a devotee of the highest order with a continuous steadfastness and assiduous attendance to the object of devotion that cannot be deterred. It is discipleship of the highest order.

This steadfast devotion was evident in the Apostles as they waited before the Day of Pentecost as they were commanded to do by Jesus:

“These all continued (proskartereo-were devoted) with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren” (Acts 1:14).

Then following Pentecost, Luke tells us:

“They continuing (proskartereo) daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46).

The devotion of the early church fathers to the communion and fellowship of the saints was extraordinary.

It was the Apostles especially, who after the controversy of the daily administration of service to the Greek widows, who were being neglected (cf. Acts 6:1-3) that the Apostles appointed seven men full of the Holy Spirit to do this service of waiting on the tables. The Apostles then said, “We will devote ourselves to praying and to service by speaking the Word” (Acts 6:4). Beck

The Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans declared:

“Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant (proskartereo-being fully devoted) in prayer” (Romans 12:12). This instant response to prayer demonstrates the full devotion of the saint to the things of the Lord and shows forth one who is continually ready, and closely adhered to prayer in a time of need.

To the Church at Colossae Paul wrote:

“Continue (proskartereo–be fully devoted) in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).

The devoted saint, pastor, teacher is a person of constant prayer. They are steadfast in it and are earnest in their devotion to the Lord in all things that pertain to His Kingdom, whether in service, worship, prayer, teaching, or other ministry to the people. They are ever watchful, constantly give thanks to the Lord, and continually wait upon Him for His goodness and mercy to the saints.

How is your devotion to the Lord? We live in an evil day, and it is incumbent upon us to be fully devoted, less we fail in our service and calling by being drawn away with the things of this world.

Paul gives us the illustration of one of his ministry partners whose name was Demas. To the Colossians he wrote: “Luke, the beloved physician and Demas send you greetings” (Colossians 4:14). In his Epistle to Philemon Paul wrote greetings to: “Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers” (Philemon 1:24). But sadly, to Timothy, Paul in his old age wrote: “For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica. . .” (II Timothy 4:10).

The truly devoted are devoted to the end, ever faithful, steadfastly loyal, continuously diligent, to the Lord, to the Kingdom, to the ministry and to one another. Let nothing of this present world distract us and cause us to depart the faith and our faithfulness to our God.

Devoted. That makes a good epitaph for any life in service to our Master, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

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Our Savior

Posted on July 30, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

Seek (Def.): (Gr.): Zeteo: To inquire, to desire, to worship (God)

The Lord Jesus is in His nature a savior. His mission to mankind was the ultimate search and rescue operation. We were lost, the whole of creation was lost and subject to corruption (cf. Romans 8:20-22), the dominion of the Kingdom on earth was lost and under the control of Satan (cf. Matthew 4:8-9). We were in desperate need of a savior.

There was in the heart of the Father a deep desire for Man, for His creation and for His Kingdom to be reestablished on earth. The Son, the Savior was given and sent forth to “seek and to save that which was lost”.

The story of the salvation of Zacchaeus is a microcosm of the desire of the Father for Man. Zacchaeus was a tax collector in the City of Jericho, the “chief among the publicans” (Luke 19:2), a rich man of Abraham’s seed.

Zacchaeus was curious to see Jesus and to know who He was (Luke 19:3). Being short of stature he climbed up a sycamore tree to get a better look as Jesus passed by that way. The account in the Gospel of Luke tells us:

“And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw Zacchaeus and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down, for today I must abide at your house'” (Luke 19:5).

The Savior met the seeker and made Himself known to him. The Savior knows the heart of all who are searching for the True and Living God, the Creator of heaven and earth; and the Savior goes to them to save, rescue and restore them to the Father.

Savior: (Def): (Gr.): Soter from Sozo: To save, deliver, protect; Healer

Jesus, our Lord, our Savior came to save, deliver, protect and heal us; to save us from our sin, deliver us from evil, protect us from the Evil One and heal and restore us to wholeness in body, soul and spirit.

The testimony of the Apostles is true:

“We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (I John 4:14).

“Simon Peter, a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ” (II Peter 1:1).

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6).

Zacchaeus responded to his encounter with the Savior with the words:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:8).

Jesus acknowledged the true repentance of Zacchaeus and the charity from his repentant heart with His proclamation:

“This day is salvation come to this house, for as much as he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9).

The mission to Jericho was accomplished. Our Savior came “to seek and save that which was lost” and the salvation of Zacchaeus was complete.

Now, let us connect the story to us, today. Jesus is being presented in our town. Now, where are you, friend? Are you seeking after Jesus? Do you want to know Him? The good news is God knows your heart. He will respond to your seeking heart in kind. He will come to your house and show you the way. Salvation will come to your house when you open the door and let Him in to dine in the Spirit. You will be born again. You will be saved.

Our Savior, our Lord, our Master and Friend. Son of God, only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Make haste to hear His voice. Be saved, delivered, restored and healed today.

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His Countenance

Posted on July 26, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His Countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

Countenance (Def): (Heb.): Paniym from Panah: Face, Presence, Appearance, Behold, Dawning

The Aaronic blessing given to Moses is a timeless blessing from God in which the Name of the Lord is placed upon us and we behold Him face to face in His glorious presence. The Lord appears to us as the dawning of a new day with the brightness of His glory shining upon us and His favor gives us His peace.

The Scriptures overflow with reference to the Paniym, the face, presence, appearance and dawning of the Lord’s favor upon His people. From Adam to the Apostle John the Scriptures give us a plethora of examples of His Countenance being seen and His favor, and His wrath being revealed.

The Psalmist spoke of the blessing of the Lord by the light of His Countenance upon His people:

“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Your Countenance” (Psalm 89:15).

We walk in the Light of the Countenance of the Father. This Light brings us great joy of which the Apostle Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost quoting from the Psalmist:

“You have made known to me the ways of Life. You shall make me full of joy with Your countenance” (Acts 2:28).

Countenance: (Def): (Gr.): Prosopon: Face, Appearance

The Prosopon, the face of God gives great joy to the believer as we behold Him and are changed into His very image. The Apostle Paul wrote of it in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians:

“Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Corinthians 3:17-18).

His countenance is powerful to effect change in our nature, our emotions, our hearts and minds in our relationship with the Father. The countenance of Christ was changed in the Presence of the Father as Jesus prayed on the Mount of Transfiguration:

“And as He prayed the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistened” (Luke 9:29).

Being in the presence of the Father will have an effect on our countenance as it did with Moses:

“But if the administration of death written and engraved in stone was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away. How shall not the administration of the Spirit be rather glorious. . .Seeing then that we have such hope we use great plainness of speech, and not as Moses who put a vail over his face so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished” (II Corinthians 3:7-8,12-13).

His Countenance upon us will be evident to all. He will cause our faces to shine forth His glory (cf. Acts 6:15). People will know we have been in the Presence of the Lord as we bear witness to His majesty. The Psalmists spoke of it:

“Turn us again, O God, and cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved” (Psalm 80:3).

“Make Your face to shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes” (Psalm 119:135).

“God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause Your face to shine upon us” (Psalm 67:1).

When the face of the Lord shines upon us we become partakers of His Grace. The Lord is gracious and His grace is given freely to all who will believe.

Are you living in His grace? Does His favor shine upon you? Come before Him, come into His glorious Presence freely by His grace through the veil by a new and living way by the blood of the Lamb. Enjoy His Countenance, Look upon His face and live.

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The Blessed

Posted on July 9, 2023 by AntiochCMI

A Psalm of David: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psalm 32:1).

Blessed (Def): (Heb): Esher from Ashar: Straight, right, level, happy, going forward, honest, prosperous

Blessed (Def): (Gr): Makarios from Makar: Happy, fortunate, well off, prosperous to the extreme

Living a blessed life is the culmination and confluence of many virtues, character traits, nature of one’s being, and divine interventions all flowing together to produce a life of extreme favor, fortune and prosperity. Both King David and our Lord Jesus have given us examples of those who are the Blessed.

Jesus said to the multitudes as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew 5:3-10:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

“Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

King David has written in his Psalms:

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1).

“Kiss the Son lest He be angry, and you perish from the way when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12).

“Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile” (Psalm 32:2).

“Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance” (Psalm 33:12).

“O taste and see that the Lord is good, Blessed is the man that trusts in Him” (Psalm 34:8).

“Blessed is that man that makes the Lord his trust, and respects not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies” (Psalm 40:4).

“Blessed is he that considers the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1).

Living straight, on the level, in the right way of honor and honesty will bring us into the way of The Blessed. It is the way of the Lord, after His kind, His nature, His heart. It is the way of the Son, whose we are and in whom we live; from whom all virtue flows. Godliness, Righteousness, Holiness, Love, Joy and Peace come from Him. It is His Life, His Divine Nature, His Being in us, the Fount of All Blessing, that leads us forward, and guides us in the path of Eternal Life, the Life of The Blessed.

Are you there? Are your sins forgiven, your iniquities covered? They can be and you can know the joy of the Blessed, just as David did. Surrender to the Lord, Kiss the Son, let Him be the Lover of your Soul. You will never be the same. Welcome to the Life of the Blessed.

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A Holy Fragrance

Posted on July 5, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“For we are unto God a sweet fragrance of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish” (II Corinthians 2:15).

Fragrance: (Def): (Gr.): Euodia from Eu Ozo: Good scent, sweet savor, smell

There are many perfumes, colognes, ode de toilettes, people wear as a pleasant scent in the presence of others that we detect and to which we respond in one way or another. Scents are powerful and either attract or repel those who are in the path of its dispensing.

The Apostle uses the metaphor of fragrance to describe our manifested presence to others with whom we may interact. He says, “We are unto God a sweet fragrance of Christ”. Believers in Christ bear Christ in their being. In another context, the Apostle says concerning this bearing of Christ:

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (II Corinthians 4:10).

As we bear “the dying of the Lord Jesus,” we also manifest the life of Jesus and this manifestation gives forth a fragrance to others. Some, who are of like spirit, delight in it as a fragrance of life, others who are lost are repelled by it as a fragrance of death, as the Apostle expressed it:

“To the one we are the fragrance of death unto death; and to the other, the fragrance of life unto life, and who is sufficient for these things” (II Corinthians 2:16).

Unto God, a Sweet Fragrance. It is God, Himself, who takes delight in the Fragrance. From of old it has been so:

“And you shall burn the whole ram upon the altar; it is a burnt offering unto the Lord, it is a sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire unto the Lord” (Exodus 29:18, cf. Leviticus 2:2,9; 3:5,16; 4:31).

The sweet fragrance of the sacrifices was a type and shadow of the true fragrance of Christ, who was offered up on the Cross of Calvary as a sacrificial Lamb and was made an atonement for the sin of the whole world.

The fragrance of Christ is a holy fragrance that is pleasing to the Father who receives it as a testimony of purification, cleansing, redemption, and reconciliation, and by which His just, righteous and holy nature is satisfied that the corruption of sin has been removed and holiness is preserved in His Presence. There is a sweet fragrance in His nostrils, the fragrance of His Son who releases the divine fragrance that the Father loves, the fragrance of “Life unto Life“, and only the Son is sufficient or qualified for these things. The propitiation, the sacrifice that satisfies, the holy offering of the Son sends forth the holy fragrance of “the offering made by fire unto the Lord” (cf. Leviticus 8:21).

As we lay down our lives “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service of worship” (cf. Romans 12:1), we become the “fragrance of Christ” that is to the living (the saved) a fragrance of life, and to the dead (the lost), a fragrance of death. To the one a sweet fragrance, as flowers in the garden of life; to the other a foul odor, a stench of death, even as they perish in the way.

Beloved, live unto God as the fragrance of Christ, a holy fragrance well pleasing to the Father until you are received in holy habitation in the Spirit of Christ unto eternal glory in Him.

“Awake, O North Wind, and come thou South: blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out. Let my Beloved come into His Garden and eat His pleasant fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16).

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Having Done All, To Stand

Posted on June 28, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“Wherefore, take to you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).

Stand (Def): (Gr): Histemi from Tithemi: Posture, Establish, Hold up, Set forth, Remain

Life is a battlefield. The lines are drawn and in formation. Are you ready to stand? To remain, to hold up under the pressure, the relentless attack of the enemy? “Having done all, to stand”.

The Apostle continues:

“Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the Breastplate of Righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14).

There, are two powerful pieces of armor: Truth and Righteousness.

The Apostle John declared:

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in Truth” (1 John 1:4).

Walking in Truth is walking in Light. John continues:

“If we say that we have fellowship with Christ and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the Truth” (1 John 1:6).

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Rome:

“That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:4).

Walking in Righteousness is walking in the Spirit.

Having done all. To remain standing we have to do all we know to do in the light of our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus. Walking in Truth, walking in the Light, walking after the Spirit are three effective means of standing and being victorious on the battlefield of life.

We stand because we are prepared to stand. We have firm footing in Peace. We shield ourselves from the fiery darts of the wicked one with our Shield of Faith. Our minds are protected with the Helmet of Salvation, and we carry a strong Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (cf. Ephesians 6:15-17).

As we stand, we stand together in Prayer in the Spirit. We also stand watching and know our surroundings, our environment, who is on our left and who is on our right, who is in front of us and who is behind. We are circumspect and always aware. We persevere in prayer and never give up with supplications, intercessions, petitions with thanksgiving to the Lord (cf. Ephesians 6:18).

We are in the evil day, but we can withstand the evil and remain standing in it as we wear our armor and use our weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, as the Apostle declared:

“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching, in fasting. . .by the Word of Truth, by the Power of God, by the Armor of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left” (II Corinthians 6:4-5, 7).

Having Done All, to Stand. Are you standing? Are you doing all you know to do in faith and trust in the Lord? The grace of the Lord Jesus is with you in all your battles as you love Him and worship Him and sing songs of triumph to Him.

The Kingdom has been established. The Kingdom will prevail. The Kingdom will stand forever. The enemy has been defeated. The battle has been won through our Lord Jesus Christ and He has given us the victory.

Open your mouth boldly, preach the Gospel of Peace. Speak freely as the Spirit gives you utterance and opportunities to speak. Declare the mysteries of God that all may come to the knowledge of the Truth and the Salvation that is theirs through the Cross of Calvary and the Blood of the Lamb.

As you have done all, now keep standing.

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With Whom Are You Sailing?

Posted on June 23, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“Saying, ‘Fear not, Paul, you must be brought before Caesar; and lo, God has given you all them that sail with you'” (Acts 27:24).

Sail (Def): (Gr) Pleo from Pluno/Pletho: To fill and fulfill, to flow, to plunge through the water in a vessel

Life is a journey and if we look at life as a journey through the waters, we get a picture of being in a vessel with sails and flowing to our destination with the wind. With whom are you sailing on your journey?

The Apostle was sailing to Rome as a prisoner under the authority of Julius, a Centurion of the Imperial Regimen. We do not always choose with whom we sail, and our conditions are not always of our own making. Nonetheless, we can be assured, God is in control along the way.

In the Apostle’s journey he was joined by Luke, his personal physician, by Aristarchus, a Macedonian disciple from Thessalonica (Acts 27:2); by other prisoners, along with all the sailors, and pilot of the ship. By God’s grace they were all spared death from the shipwreck that followed. I am sure they were all very grateful that the Apostle was on board.

The Apostle was accustomed to travel by the sea. He wrote to the Church at Corinth:

“In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren” (II Corinthians 11:26).

If life is perilous, dangerous and fraught with evil, which it certainly is, then it is even more imperative that we know with whom we sail.

First and foremost, we must sail with the Lord. The Prophet, Isaiah, declared by the word of the Lord:

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon you” (Isaiah 43:2).

The Lord is in your boat, just as He was with the disciples in the boat on the Sea of Galilee when the storm arose and He by His command, “peace be still” (Matthew 4:39), all was made well on the calm waters.

With whom are you sailing? Do not go it alone. We are a brotherhood of believers, a communion of saints. George Fox (1624-1691) was the founder of the Society of Friends. You do not have to be a Quaker to know we are a Society, a Community, a Body, the Body of Christ. Sail on your journey with your friends. Sail with a Brother, a Sister, a Pastor, a Teacher. Sail with an Evangelist, a Prophet and if you are fortunate enough, sail with an Apostle. Sail with a husband, a wife, a friend of the family. Sail together with the family of God.

The Psalmist declared:

“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. He commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts the waves thereof. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. They cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so, He brings them to their desired haven” (Psalm 107:23-30).

If you are sailing, you will encounter trouble. You will be in distress at times. With whom are you sailing? The Lord? Your brothers, sisters, friends in Christ? Your Pastor, Counselor?

May the Lord bring you safely to your desired haven. May He fill you and fulfill you as you plunge through the waters of life, as you go on in your journey. Sail on.

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It Is I, Be Not Afraid

Posted on June 17, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“Jesus said to them, ‘It is I, be not afraid'” (John 6:20).

Afraid (Def): (Gr.) Phobeo from Phobos: To frighten, alarm, to be in awe and reverence

There are circumstances in life that catch us off guard, when in a sudden moment of time everything changes before our eyes. We become frightened and alarmed by the situation and cry out to God for help.

The Disciples experienced such a moment recorded in the Gospel of John, Chapter 6. In the evening after the miracle of the feeding of the Five Thousand, the Disciples went down to the lakeside shore to enter into a boat to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, at Capernaum. Just a routine journey for experienced fishermen who know the Sea and can handle a boat with skill; but while traversing the Sea:

“The Sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. After they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty furlongs, they saw Jesus walking on the Sea and drawing near the ship, and they were afraid. (John 6:18-19).

In the moment of sudden fear from the chaos of the storm, they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them saying, “It is I, be not afraid“. What a wonderful Savior, Helper, Friend, Companion, Lord of Life, and Master we have, who comes to us in our hour of need.

“Then they willingly received Him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land where they went” (John 6:21).

The Apostle experienced this joy of companionship with the Lord in the midst of the Sea as well, as Luke wrote and recorded in the Book of Acts:

“When there was neither sun nor stars in many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we would be saved was then taken away. But after a long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, ‘Sirs, you should have listened to me and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. Now I exhort you to be of good cheer for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship only. For there stood by me this night the Angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve; saying, ‘Fear not, Paul, you must be brought before Caesar, and lo God has given you all them that sail with you.’ Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me'” (Acts 27:20-25).

Then it came to pass even as the Apostle had spoken.

What encouragement it must have been to Joshua and to all Israel when the Lord spoke through Moses concerning their entering into the Land of Promise:

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them, for the Lord thy God, He it is that goes with you, He will not fail you, nor forsake you. And Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and of a good courage for you must go with the people into the Land which the Lord has sworn to your fathers to give them and you shall cause them to inherit'” (Deuteronomy 31:6-7).

What encouragement is should be to us to hear the word of the Lord, “It is I, be not afraid”. In the midst of our troubles, in the midst of our unexpected storms of life, in the midst of the chaos and craziness of our circumstances, the Lord is with us. The Lord is near, The Lord shows up in the most unexpected way, walking on the water, no less. Now welcome the Lord, receive Him into your circumstances and you will make it, just as the Disciples did to your desired haven, your destination, and you will get there in very short order, as the Lord commands.

The Lord has promised us to make the changes in our lives that we need. Trust Him and you will go from fear, from being afraid, from being alarmed, to awe and reverent worship of your Divine Companion and Friend.

“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the Age” (Matthew 28:20b).

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Staff of Life

Posted on June 10, 2023 by AntiochCMI

“For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water” (Isaiah 3:1).

Staff (Def): (Heb.): Mishenah from Mishen: Support, Sustenance, Walking stick

There is what is commonly known as the “Staff of Life”, i.e., bread and water. This is the bare essential to sustaining human life. It is a supply that provides support and sustenance for daily living. Bread and water, two essentials, and both find their eternal fulfillment in Christ Jesus.

Jesus said to the woman at the well in Samaria: “Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give Him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

Jesus said to the people in Capernaum: “I am the Bread of Life; he that comes to Me shall never hunger, and he that believes on Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). “I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live forever; and the Bread that I will give is My flesh which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

The Prophet Isaiah declared that the Lord of Hosts would remove from Jerusalem and Judah the stay and staff of bread and water. This was fulfilled in the cutting off of the Messiah from the people and the rejection of the people of their Savior.

“He came to His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11).

The Prophet further declared concerning Christ:

“Who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from Him. He was despised and we esteemed Him not” (Isaiah 53:1-3).

Christ, the Bread and Water of Life, the Staff of Life, was taken from Israel and given to the whole world to bring the Staff of Life to the Gentiles that through Christ all may find Eternal Life in Him. The Apostle expressed it this way:

“I say then has Israel stumbled that they should fall? God forbid, but rather through their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy. Now if the fall of Israel be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them, the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness? . . .For if the casting away of Israel be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead” (Romans 11:11-12, 15).

The Staff of Life is for all, for Jew and Gentile, bond and free, male and female (cf. Galatians 3:28). The Bread of Life and the Water of Life are freely given to all who will come, to all who will believe.

“It is finished, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; I will giver to him that is thirsty of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely” (Revelation 21:6). “And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’!. Let him that is thirsty come; and whosoever will, let him take of the Water of Life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

Where are you in all the calling? Where is your heart? Are you hungry for God? For the Living Bread? Are you thirsty for the Water of Life? Sometimes it comes down to the bare essentials, bread and water, the staff of life. The promise has been given. The invitation has been written and sent. It is in your hand, before your eyes right now.

“Whosoever will, let him take of the Water of Life freely”.

“The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:21).

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