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Help from our High Priest

shermancox — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:43:09 -0800

When one finds oneself in the depths of a temptation that is almost overpowering. And the enemy assails you, you ask Jesus for help. However when you ask Jesus for help you do it with a few things firmly in mind. First you ask for help knowing that Jesus Understands the plight of your soul for Jesus decided to place himself in the depths of human woe. It would have been an infinite humiliation for Jesus to come as Adam in the garden, but Jesus decided to take on the seed of Abraham so that he could be a merciful and faithful high priest. (Hebrews 2:16-17).

Second you ask for help knowing that Jesus can help you in the problem you are dealing with. But more than taking on the seed of Abraham, Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). We can say with all assurance that Jesus Understand not just by omniscience, but by experience the depths of temptation for he was tempted and therefore he can be merciful and faithful (Hebrews 2:18).

So when temptation assails us, we can go to Jesus and call out to him. And when we call on Jesus, we can know we have a faithful and merciful High Priest listening. And that High Priest knows exactly how much strength is needed to overcome the temptation. That High Priest knows exactly how much grace we need. And thus we can boldy come to the throne of grace to obtain the mercy (Hebrews 4:16) that our brother (Jesus is not ashamed to call us Brethren Hebrews 2:11) will give us. And then after God gives us the grace that is needed to overcome, then Jesus puts on a little more extra grace for where sin abounds, grace much more abounds (Romans 5:20). And then we can sing the song with James Cleveland "Victory Shall be Mine."

Sabbath and Creation/Redemption

shermancox — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:37:27 -0800

The website 1888 Most Precious Message has posted an article by E. J. Waggoner titled "The Object of the Sabbath." In it Dr. Waggoner makes the following statement:

The Sabbath is the memorial of creation, but redemption is creation. David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart." Psalm 51:1. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature." 2 Corinthians 5:17. The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation," (Romans 1:16), and the power of God is seen only in the things that he has made. Verse 29. So the power of the gospel is the power that created the worlds. Therefore, the Sabbath, in commemoration of creation, makes known to man the power of God to save from sin. As it calls to remembrance the power of God as shown in the works of his hands, it reminds us of the words of the apostle: "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

Creation and Redemption's Connection

This statement deserves contemplation. The connection between redemption and creation is an important one. When God seeks to do something with humanity, God is not simply doing a renovation project, God is engaging in creation. God has to begin again as in the original creation. God starts over and creates in us that which is not there. The only real way to understand or see this power of God to do something with us is to look at the creation. Look at how God can take nothing and make something. And to do that we need to look at the works of God's hands.

God Making a Way

I think it is interesting that just as what God does in us through creation, God does things for us through creation. When the old folks used to say, "God can make a way out of no way," they were simply saying that the creative power of God will be used to make ways where they were not before. All this is simply to say that when we speak of miracles, we are simply talking about the creative power of God, when we speak of hope in hopelessness, we are simply depending on God's ability to create.

Remembering the Sabbath

And the only mechanism that God has given us to celebrate this creative power is the Sabbath. God has called us to remember the Sabbath so that we can remember this power that does things in us and for us and through us. God calls us to remember the Sabbath so that we can let the world know that God "can-do..." And we as a people have been called to remind the world of this fact. If it had not been for the creative power of God where would we be? If it had not been for the creative power of God I would be nothing! If it had not been for the creative power of God, I wouldn't have any hope. This is why the first angel in Revelation 14:6-7 seeks to remind humanity of creation. And one day we as a people will proclaim this message "more fully."

Sabbath and Creation/Redemption

shermancox — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:37:27 -0800

The website 1888 Most Precious Message has posted an article by E. J. Waggoner titled "The Object of the Sabbath." In it Dr. Waggoner makes the following statement:

The Sabbath is the memorial of creation, but redemption is creation. David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart." Psalm 51:1. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature." 2 Corinthians 5:17. The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation," (Romans 1:16), and the power of God is seen only in the things that he has made. Verse 29. So the power of the gospel is the power that created the worlds. Therefore, the Sabbath, in commemoration of creation, makes known to man the power of God to save from sin. As it calls to remembrance the power of God as shown in the works of his hands, it reminds us of the words of the apostle: "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

Creation and Redemption's Connection

God Making a Way

Remembering the Sabbath

Audio 47 - Christ and His Righteousness Chapter 2

shermancox — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:57:07 -0700

This is Chapter 1 of the book Christ and His Righteousness by E. J. Waggoner. The chapter is entitled, "How Consider Christ."