God Is Life

The very essence of God is life.

Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6 NIV).

Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25 NIV).

In the begining, God's spoken word carried the life force to cause the earth to sprout forth plantlife (Genisis 1:11-12), the waters to bring forth sealife (Genesis 1:20-22), the skys to bring forth airlife (Genesis 1:20-22), and the earth to bring forth landlife (Genesis 1:24-25), each possessing the ability reproduce living generation after living generation to the end of time.

In the begining, God's breath carried the life force to turn a lump of earth into a living human being (Genesis 2:7) that was of such compatible nature with God (Genesis 1:27) that in the fulness of time one of his descendents would contain the soul of God Himself (John 1:14, trinity), our Lord Jesus Christ.

With this understanding, one cannot help but look in awe upon God's plan to redeam mankind. In order to save us from our sins, we know that Jesus had to die. But how is it possible that anyone would be able to take the life of the Giver Of All Life Himself? The truth is that it isn't possible. Man never had within our power the ability to kill God. Like Jesus said at Gethsemane, "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53 NIV).

When Jesus gave up His life, that wasn't simply Him surrendering His human body over to man so that the natural course of crucifixion would cause Him to die. It wasn't the cross that killed Jesus. There is no power of man, of nature, or of hell that can kill the Living God. Jesus could have survived the cross indefinitely...

John 10:17-18 - "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (NIV)

As we celebrate Easter today, I want you to understand the significance of this, and to comprehend the nature of who God is, and what this means for you...

God is life. Everything He does, everything He is brings life. The reason there was unnatural darkness before Christ's death (Matthew 27:43, Luke 23:44), was because the Father literally had to withdraw from the earth in order for that life to be given up (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34), manifested in a temporary dimming of the light of creation itself (Genesis 1:3).

When it comes to God, there was never any question between life and death, as to which side was going to win. We see proof of Christ's immediate dominance over death and hell by the fact that, even at the very moment of His own death, dead people were restored to life (Matthew 27:52-53).

God is life. He speaks life. He breathes life. He radiates life. He creates life. He restores life. He gives life.

John 10:10 - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV)

Receive God's life, and live.

Happy Easter.


James :)

More on Burning the koran

Well, now he’s gone and done it. The pastor who threatened to burn the koran in September 2010 has carried through with those threats, and the results are very telling…

In response to these acts against the false teachings of islam’s false god “allah” (the devil), evil men have rioted and murdered, and what does the media say about this? “…It is the fault of the pastor who burned the koran, not the murderers…”

As I stated in my earlier post about Burning the koran, I am opposed to burning the koran. However my reasoning behind this is not to prevent riots, it is to save souls. The koran has no power or threat to the Gospel of Christ. It doesn’t need to be burned for Jesus’s words to be convincing. Something the islam world doesn’t want people to know about is that there are millions of muslims turning to Christ 1, simply because Christ’s words speak life whereas the koran offers only death.

It is not out of respect that I oppose burning the koran. It is only for salvation’s sake that I do not recommend desecrating a powerless book that muslims consider to be holy, because that might cause a questioning muslim to close his ears. If it were not for these poor deceived souls, I would hold no restraint in building a bonfire of my own, and hurling the blazing pages into the face of the evil that gave it birth.

On the other hand I am very appalled at the response of the media. These murders are not the fault of the pastor who chose to burned the koran. Even though I don’t agree with his choice and feel he has much to learn about being a true Christian, I still place the blame for evil where it is appropriately due, on the devil. And I place the guilt of sin on the sinners who commit it (unless that guilt is cleansed by the blood of Christ), not on an ignorant man who burned a worthless book that was his own property so he had every right to burn it.

The koran is a book of death. When people follow it they are incited to murder. When other people reject it, the followers of the koran are incited to murder. When the opposition burns it, the followers of the koran are incited to murder. The message of the koran is at war with people, and results in murder.

The Bible is a book of life. When people follow it they are incited to forgive and to love. When other people reject it, the followers of the Bible are incited to forgive and to love. When the opposition burns it, the followers of the Bible are incited to forgive and to love even more. The message of Christ is at war with evil, not people. Christ came to save all of us from evil, and He does not want anyone to die under its grip.

John 10:10 - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV)

1 Timothy 2:1-4 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV)

James :)