THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

                  Over the past 4 months I have been studying the Feasts of the Lord as listed in Levitucs 23. I just finished this study, closing it out with the Feast of Tabernacles.     

                  I want to share with you something I learned during this study. It is something that I had never heard before. Did you know that many Biblical scholars believe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles?  Let me give you an example. How many of you have heard of Matthew Henry?  He lived in England from 1622 to 1714. He was a minister and most well known for his commentary or exposition of the Bible…the Matthew Henry Commentary.

                Listen to what he said…

“It is supposed by many that our blessed Savior was born much about the time of this holiday; then He left his mansions of light above to tabernacle among us (John 1:14), and he dwelt in booths. And the worship of God under the New Testament is prophesied of under the notion of keeping the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16).”

                Until studying these feasts I was of the understanding that the birth of our Savior was never specified in the Word of God. Now all of a sudden I am finding more and more sources which through Scripture indicate that Christ was born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. 

                Where would we begin to see if they are right?  Remember when the Apostle Paul preached to the Bereans they didn’t just blindly believe what he told them…they searched the Scriptures daily to see if what he said was true. What did they find? They found what he preached to them regarding Christ was true.

                We will begin searching the scriptures in Luke’s account of the birth of Christ.

Luke 1:5-23

5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7  And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

8  And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,

9  According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10  And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11  And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13  But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14  And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15  For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

16  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

18  And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this?  for I an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19  And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20  And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple.

22  And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23  And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

               

                The first thing we have to realize is “in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea,” was between 40 BC and 3BC. He was established as king in Judaea by the Romans in 40BC and he reigned for 37 years.

                Second we see that Zacharias was a priest of the course of Abia…what does that mean?  We have to back to King David in I Chronicles 23 and 24. In these chapters, David divided the priests according to their offices in their service. Different priests had different jobs to do. Each one was “scheduled” to do his Temple service for one week, from Sabbath to Sabbath. In 1 Chronicles 24:7-18 we see the divisions. In verse 10 we see that the eighth course was the course of Abijah. Abijah is the same as Abia in our text in Luke 1:5. So from this we see that Zacharias was a descendant of Abijah and his course was the eighth course.

                Remember that 3 times a year (Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles) all Jewish males were required to go to Jerusalem to observe these feasts. No doubt they would take their wives and children with them. During these 3 Feasts of the Lord there would be (according to Josephus the Jewish historian) around 2.5 million Jews in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.

                During these Feast times all the priests were required to serve in the service of the temple no matter when their course was. With this in mind we will look to see when the 8^th course would be served. We begin with the first course. The priests of Course 1 would serve the first week of the new year on the Jewish religious calendar...from Nisan 1 through Nisan 8. Course 2 would serve Nisan 8 through Nisan 15. If you remember Nisan 14 was the Passover with the Feast of Unleavened bread and Feast of First Fruits following. For the third week of the year all the priests would serve.  Course 3 would serve Nisan 22 to Nisan 29. Course 4 would serve from Nisan 29 to Iyar 6. Course 5 would serve from Iyar 6 to Iyar 13. Course 6 would serve Iyar 13 to Iyar 20. Course 7 would serve from Iyar 20 through Iyar 27. Finally we reach Course 8, the course of Abijah. Course 8 would serve Iyar 27 through Sivan 5. That would be May 19 to May 26. My dates may be off somewhat because back then I believe their calendar was composed of 12 months of 30 days each. The calendar I used to determine this has several months with 29 days.  Others have gone back to old calendars and shown that the eighth course as served by Zacharias in Luke chapter 1 would have taken place from Sivan 12 to Sivan 18. Sivan is the third month of the Jewish year on their religious calendar.  Back we go to Luke 1:10-23.

Luke 1:10-23

10  And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11  And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13  But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14  And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15  For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

16  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17  And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

18  And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this?  for I an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19  And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20  And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple.

22  And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23  And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

                In verse 23 we see that Zacharias ended his course and went home. This would have been on the Sivan 18 or roughly June 8 according to our calendar. In verse 24 we see that after those days Elisabeth, his wife, conceived and she hid herself for 5 months.  For the sake of argument we will say that Elisabeth conceived on Sivan 20. The normal gestation period for we humans is 40 weeks or 280 days.  Counting from Sivan 20 and add 280 days and you arrive at Nisan 5 as being the approximate date of the birth of John the Baptist. Remember, my calendar is different than the one used back then. Scholars have placed the birth of John the Baptist on or around Nisan 14, the Passover. 

Luke 1:26-27

26   And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth.

27  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

                In the sixth month of Elisabeth’s pregnancy, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel. Elisabeth’s 6^th month of pregnancy would have been Kislev (the ninth month of the Jewish religious calendar). Mary stayed with Elisabeth until just prior to the birth of John the Baptist. Mary returned home 3 months pregnant. At some point during Kislev the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary and she conceived the Lord Jesus Christ while being a virgin.

                Scholars believe it is possible that Mary conceived on Kislev 25 which was the first day of the Hanukkah festival. For the Jews, Hanukkah is the festival of light. Is it possible that Jesus Christ “the Light of the world” was conceived on the festival of lights?  Possible indeed!

                Beginning with dates around Kislev 25 and counting 280 days (40 weeks), the approximate number of days for human gestation to take place, Jesus Christ would have been born approximately on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is Tishri 15 (October 1) in the year 4BC.

                Shortly prior to the Feast of Tabernacles, Caesar Augustus decreed that all the world should be taxed. We see that in Luke 2:1-5. It is my understanding that it was common place for a registration to be ordered by the Roman government at a time when they knew a majority of people would be travelling to one area.  The question is…was this the only reason Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem?  Remember that every Jewish male was required to go to Jerusalem for Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.  Six months after John the Baptist was born (Approx. 14 Nisan) would put the time Joseph and Mary travelled to Bethlehem around Tishri 15, the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Keep in mind that there would be around 2.5 million Jews in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. Keep in mind that Bethlehem is only 5 miles away from Jerusalem. Keep in mind that during the Feast of Tabernacles the cities and towns  would be filled with Sukkahs, or tabernacles…temporary dwelling places.  

                With 2.5 million Jews in Jerusalem and surrounding areas during the Feast of Tabernacles, there is no wonder why Joseph and Mary found no room in the inn. In Luke 2:6 we see that Mary’s days were accomplished and she gave birth to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In neither account of the birth of Christ do we see that Christ was born in a stable, a cave, or a grotto. All that is said in Luke 2:6 is that after He was born, He was laid in a manger. 

                The word “manger” is translated from the Greek word “phatne.” This word is found 4 times in the Bible. Three times it is translated “manger” which means crib. One time is it translated “stall.” I suppose that is where they get the idea of Christ being born in a stable.

                Something else to note is found in Genesis 33:17…

Genesis 33:17  And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

                Remember that the Sukkots or tabernacles or tents or temporary dwelling places built on the Feast of Tabernacles were booths. Jacob built booths for his cattle. That is another reason some believe Christ was born in a stable.

                Though the earthly parents of our Lord and Savior were poor, I don’t believe they were unsanitary.  Would a person give birth to their child in an unsanitary booth where cattle, sheep and goats are kept?

                I believe Christ was born in a Sukkah on the Feast of Sukkot…the Feast of Tabernacles. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a crib. Often times the Jews would only eat their meals in the booths rather than living in them for 7 days. 

                Christ was born on the 1^st day of the Feast of Tabernacles which lasts 7 days. Then on the 8^th day it was customary for boys to be circumcised which Christ was…on the eighth day or the Last Great Day which is symbolic of new beginnings. He fulfilled the Abrahamic covenant by being circumcised on the 8^th day and began the new covenant.

                Also, in Luke 2:8-15 we see there were shepherds abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. The latest time of year that shepherds would be out in the fields at night with their flocks would be late October. During November and December the nights would be too cold for them to stay out in the fields.

                What did God command the Jews to do during the Feast of Tabernacles?  Leviticus 23:40  …and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. The Feast of Tabernacles was a time of great rejoicing…the sins of Israel had been atoned for just 5 days before on the Day of Atonement.

Luke  2:9-11

9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.

10  And the angel said unto them,  Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

                What greater rejoicing could take place on the Feast of Tabernacles than to know that the Messiah who would take away the sins of His people was born?   …the One who would make the Atonement that would last forever.

                Only the shepherds made it to the manger in the Sukkah where Joseph, Mary and our Lord stayed that night. According to Matthew 2:1-11, we see the Magi or wise men from the East coming to worship the Lord. They did not arrive there on the day of the birth of Christ. They arrived some time later. Notice in Matthew 2:11…

Matthew 2:11  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.      

                The booths have all been taken down and now Joseph, Mary and our Lord are living in a house. It is believed that Christ was about 12 to 15 months old when the Wise men came. This would put it in the Fall or Autumn of the following year.

                Remember how the Wise men did not go back to Herod after seeing Christ. They returned to their homes by taking another route. Herod was angry and ordered that all Jewish babies under the age of 2 be killed. He wanted to make sure he killed the Messiah.

                Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod and when Herod died that same fall (3BC), then they returned, but went to Nazareth rather than Bethlehem because Bethlehem was too close to Jerusalem where Herod’s son Archelaus reigned in his stead.

                One last thing to consider…

Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:21-23

21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.

22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23  Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.

                God with us…

John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

                The word “dwelt” is translated from the Greek word “skenoo” which means…

1) to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle

2) to dwell

On the Feast of Tabernacles, Christ was given a (temporary dwelling place…earthly tabernacle) body…

Hebrews 10:5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,  Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared for me:

                One of the themes of the Feast of Tabernacles is that Christ will dwell with His people. We saw that it is on the Feast of Tabernacles that Christ will establish His millennial kingdom.  At that time He will dwell with us on earth.

I believe that His first coming began on the Feast of Tabernacles in 4 BC.  I believe shortly after His second coming on some future Day of Atonement, He will establish His earthly millennial reign soon thereafter on the Feast of Tabernacles and He will dwell with us.

                Think about this…It was God’s plan for all Jewish males (and families) to be in Jerusalem for the birth of Christ (Feast of Tabernacles), the death of Christ (Passover) and for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost).

                Based on what I have seen in the Scriptures, as well as all the research I have done concerning Christ’s mass that takes place on December 25^th, I believe that Christ was indeed born on the Feast of Tabernacles.  As the head of my home it is my responsibility to teach my children the truth of the Word of God.  As for our family we will celebrate the birth of Christ on Monday, October 1^st this year which is Tishri 15 on the Jewish calendar…the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

This is my understanding based on the word of God. Whether you choose to observe December 25^th or Tishri 15 (October 1) as the true birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, remember Romans 14:1-10…Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

To eat raw or not to eat raw? ...that is the question

Not long ago I participated in a 10 day cleanse which required me to eat only uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts, greens and seeds.  I was amazed at how much I liked eating only the healthy foods. It didn’t take as much to make me feel full. I felt better…maybe a lot of that was just mental because I knew what I was putting into my body was good for me.

Surprisingly, most meals we ate were not only pleasing to the eyes, but they were pleasing to the taste. Who knew you could actually enjoy a salad that wasn’t smothered in Ranch dressing? Well, it is possible. Now, when I have a salad, I don’t even want Ranch dressing on it. I also enjoyed many, many smoothies that were loaded with fruit and with greens of all kinds. Every single one was absolutely delicious. We haven’t stopped having our morning green smoothie since the cleanse ended. I have found that I almost crave real, unprocessed foods more than the foods I have been known to eat.

When it comes to eating and especially during the cleanse, I found many different reactions from people.  Some folks thought I was crazy for eating only uncooked fruits and vegetables for 10 days. Many people just don’t like raw fruits and vegetables. They say they just have to have meat of some sort.  

Then there were those who almost worshipped the raw fruits and vegetables as if they were gods. They believed that those foods had power to do things that the only one true God can do.  There were both ends of the spectrum and every shade in between when it came to eating raw foods. I found that I really enjoyed eating raw. Since the cleanse, we have increased the amounts of raw fruits and vegetables we eat. 

There is no doubt in my mind that eating a healthier regimen is beneficial to the body physically. Just read  Daniel 1:5-20. I felt better. I lost weight. The knee joint pain I typically felt as I started each training run was gone.  Simply put I just felt better all the way around.

Lord willing, this coming June I will do another 10 day raw food only cleanse. I doubt I will ever eat only raw foods for the rest of my life. There are other things to eat that are good to eat contrary to some people’s beliefs.   

1 Timothy 4:1  “…in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…”

1 Timothy 4:3 “…commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

1 Timothy 4:4 “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:”

1 Timothy 4:5 “For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

                That is why we pray before each meal…to sanctify our food and thank the Lord for it. Yes, I want to make the wisest choices when it comes to the food I eat. It is good for the body when I eat uncooked fruits and vegetables. It is also good to enjoy a well cooked steak or chicken.  The debate could go on and on…

               

There have always been controversies over what we should eat.  I think the Apostle Paul said it best in his letter to the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 10:30-31

30  For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

                I think folks need to ask themselves why they eat what they eat. Are they eating to the glory of God, or for some other reason?

                If a person is eating raw foods because he believes it will do for them something that only God can do, then he is wrong.

                If a person is indulging in foods that are rich and bring him comfort rather than looking to God for his comfort, then he is wrong.

                The point is this…whether we eat a raw diet or the standard American diet, or somewhere in between; we should eat unto the Lord.

Romans 14:6  “…He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.”

                Now the person who eats and has no regard for God who gave him his meal as well as his very breath (Daniel 5:23)... may God have mercy on him.

                Whatever we choose to eat, we need to do so thoughtfully. My wife calls it mindful or thoughtful eating and it needs to be done for the glory of God.  We live in such a fast paced world that we often don’t think about a lot of things, especially our food.  Maybe it’s time for a change.  We need to consider (for those who have been saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ) that our bodies are the temple of the Lord.

1Corinthians 6:19-20

19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

                Which brings me nicely to another point… why do some Christians take good care of their bodies, but neglect their spirits?  Some are very careful about what they put into their bodies, but not so careful about what they put into their minds.

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 Psalm 101:2-4

2  I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

3  I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave unto me.

4  A forward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

                There is direct correlation between what we see with our eyes and what we think about. That is why Job said…

Job 31:1  I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

                Not only do we need to be thoughtful with the foods we put into our bodies, we need to be even more so thoughtful about what we allow our eyes to see…what we think about.  In no way am I urging people to get rid of their cable, satellite dishes or radios. I am, however, sharing with you my experience. It’s been several months since we cancelled our satellite service. We haven’t watched TV in a while and I have found it to be a great thing.

                I don’t care what channel you watch or how quick you are with the remote control to change the channel, you still see things with your eyes that war against the spirit. You still hear words that war against the spirit. 

                Where I work, there is a radio that is left on all day long. I have no choice but to listen to it. It is set on a local country music station…pop music stations are no better.  The songs I unintentionally hear war against the soul. I need not go into any detail. The artists who write and sing the songs have a very shallow understanding of God if any at all. If I could set the radio to the Christian radio station it would be a different story, but since I have no control over it, I have to deal with it. 

                I have thoughts going through my mind that should not be there because of the music I hear on a daily basis. What about the shows that are watched on TV?  I have yet to see a show that didn’t have some reference to the world’s idea of what intimate relations between and man and woman should be and it is far from what God has set forth in His Word. The world mocks sin. They make fun of the sodomite lifestyle. They mock marriage…all in the name of entertainment. You can’t watch a sports program without the camera spending some time on the “cheerleaders” who are not leading any one to cheer for the team…due to the lack of clothing they wear; they are promoting lust rather than team spirit.

                Even if you have satellite and you watch the hunting channel there are still commercials that are filled with wickedness that pass right before your eyes.  The eyes are the windows to the soul… you can either take in things that will honor and glorify the Lord or you can take in things that will war against your soul.

                I have found since I have stopped watching TV and have replaced TV time with family time, reading the word of God, listening to sermons, and studying the word of God, my thoughts are on things that are true, honest, just and pure.  When I stopped watching movies that were laden with cursing, those words stopped being the first words that came to mind when something happened I wasn’t planning on. 

                It is my experience that when I eat those things that are healthy for me, my body functions better. Likewise, when I put into my mind those things that are spiritually healthy for me, my spirit functions better.

                Yes taking care of our bodies is important, but taking care of the soul is of greater importance…what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mark 8:36-37

36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

                What good is it if a person spends his time eating right and exercising, yet loses his soul? It’s not good at all. Life is in vain if it is lived for any purpose other than the glory of God.  To the believer in Jesus Christ…take care of your body, it is the temple of God. More importantly, take care of your soul. Guard your soul.

Proverbs 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

                To the person who is doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ…hell is a real place and is the just punishment for sin against God.  Fortunately Christ died for sinners.  If you understand you are a sinner and that your sins are against God, cry out to God that He may have mercy on your soul. Confess your sins and ask Him to forgive you…He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved from the penalty of your sins and will be given eternal life.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 3:15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Cleanse America

My brother-in-law, Paul, started a program (for lack of a better word) to help Americans cleanse their bodies and introduce them to eating raw. No, I don’t mean raw sushi or raw beef.  I mean raw vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and leafy greens. 

Starting on April 9^th we began a 10 day cleanse which involved only eating raw food. This is not simply vegetarian.  Vegetarians may eat only vegetables, but they often eat them steamed or cooked. Eating raw means nothing is heated over 105 degrees. Nothing we ate was heated at all.

I did this at the request of my beautiful wife. She wanted to join Cleanse America to support her brother and to incorporate more healthy foods into our diet.  In preparation for this, I used Daniel 1:8-20 to be my motivation. In this passage of Scripture, Daniel requests that he and his friends be allowed to eat only “pulse” and drink water for 10 days. I think “pulse” is raw fruits and vegetables.  At the end of 10 days Daniel and his friends were wiser and healthier looking than the others who had eaten of the finest foods the king had to offer. I wanted to see if at the end of 10 days of eating raw I would be healthier and smarter like Daniel… ok, maybe just healthier.

For Cleanse America some drank raw food juice only. My wife and I chose to eat raw foods instead. I like to chew too much.  With juicing you get way more nutrients, however, with eating you get more fiber. Combined with this raw food cleanse, I have been training to run a half marathon…at least the distance of a half marathon.

When I started Cleanse America, I weighed in at 164 LBS.  When it was all said and done, I weighed in at 155 LBS. The last time I weighed that I was a 17 year old senior in High school playing basketball and running track…that was twenty-one years ago.  Today, I am in the best shape of my life.

Through this whole experience I have learned much about the food we eat.  Yes, eating raw foods is absolutely better for you. Yes, I believe there is a link between the diseases many Americans have and the types of processed foods they eat.  While eating right and getting adequate exercise is a good thing, I think many people focus all their attention on their physical bodies and forget about or ignore their souls.

As a Christian my body is the temple of the Living God. I should take care of it, but I should not worship it. This life is short in comparison to all eternity. What profit would it be if a person ate a perfectly healthy diet, exercised his entire life and lived to be a hundred and twenty years old, but neglected his soul?

No matter how physically healthy and fit a person may be it will not change the condition of his soul.  What is the human soul? In a sense the human soul is who you are. Every human has a soul and every human is born into this world with a soul that is diseased, sick, unhealthy, and tainted by sin. 

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 

Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

The Bible even says that a man’s soul, spiritually speaking, is dead.  What does that mean? That means when it comes to the things of God, a man has no power to do anything to please Him. He can’t obey God’s commands, honor Him, or do one thing that is right. The Bible says in Jeremiah17:9 that his heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” A man doesn’t even know what evil he is capable of.

Even when he does things that would appear to be good, he does it for the wrong motive. His intent is not to glorify God, rather it is for some other reason. Therefore if the heart is wrong then the motive is wrong. If the motive is wrong, then no matter how wonderful the act, it is still evil.

This is the condition of every person born into this world.  The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23 that the payment for sin is eternal spiritual death. This will be carried out by suffering torment in a real place called the Lake of Fire. This is where the full wrath of God abides. That is why Jesus Christ told Nicodemas, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). 

The wages of sin is death, however, there is hope. As long as a person is living on this earth, there is hope. His only hope is to cry out to God for mercy, understand and agree with God that he is a sinner and that his sins are against God, turn from his sins and believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for his sins and that His death on the cross of Calvary was sufficient to please God.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 10:9-10

  9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

While being healthy and taking care of your body and is a good thing, if you are doing it for any other reason than to bring glory and honor to God the Father and His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is sinful and no longer a good thing.

It is good for the body to be cleansed from all the toxins we take in from our food.  It’s better for the soul to be cleansed from sin and be in right standing before God. I would like to see Americans be physically cleansed. However, I more so want to see Americans be spiritually cleansed. May God have mercy on our nation.

Endurance is the result of training.

       This past Sunday, the topic of Sunday School was James chapter 1. Since then I've been thinking about verses 2 - 4. James tells us to "count it all joy" when we find ourselves in various trials. We are to do so because we know that the trying of our faith produces endurance. I'm sure as you have been through trials you have often wondered what the Lord's purpose was in it. I sure have.

       Right now we are going through a financial trial and it seems the first thought that comes to mind is "Have we sinned in the area of our finances?" "Are we being chastened of the Lord?" Had Job's four friends come to visit us, I'm sure that would have been their explanation. I don't know for sure what God's purpose is in this, but I have been thinking about what James wrote...that the trying of our faith produces endurance. Since I have been training for running 10K races this upcoming Spring and Summer, I have noticed something in the physical realm that is helping me to better understand the spiritual realm.

       The writer of Hebrews in Chapter 12:1 likens this life to a race. He tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily beset us and let us run the race that is set before us. How are we to run this race of life? We are to run it with patience or endurance. How will our endurance be built up? It is built up through the trials we go through. James tells us in chapter 1 and verse 4 to let patience have her perfect work. Let endurance have its maturing work.

       I have noticed in preparing to run a 10K race without stopping it takes endurance. Endurance is something that has to be built up and the only way to do that is to run. Trainers and coaches know what it takes to get a runner ready to run a race in a certain amount of time. Each workout is a trial. The trainer pushes his runner in every workout. Some workouts are more strenuous than others, but each one is designed with the intent of building endurance and making the runner faster.

       In a way I see our Lord as doing the same thing for us spiritually as He takes us through the trials we face. He is preparing us for the future. In years past, I did what I thought was training for running 5K races. I would build up to being able to run 3.1 miles and to a small degree my times were decent. This time I am following a training schedule put out by a world class runner. I am amazed at the difference in endurance I now have in comparison to 5 years ago. When you follow someone who knows how to train a runner the outcome is amazing.


       Our Lord knows how to train us and prepare us for what lies ahead. Trials aren't necessarily "fun" to go through. Just like running the five miles I ran on Saturday wasn't fun at the time. I felt like I was running so slow...barely moving. I wanted to quit and walk, but when I was finished and looked at my time I was shocked. I ran the best time of any distance I have run over 3 miles. The same is true when we go through our trials. At the time it's no fun, our trials may even seem to last forever, but when the future becomes the present we will have endurance to be able to run the race.

       Why did James tell us to let patience or endurance have her perfect or maturing work? The reason is so we may be mature spiritually and complete, lacking nothing. Not only do trials bring about endurance in our spirits, they are also drive us to the word of God. David said in Psalm 119:71 that "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." Sometimes the only way we will learn God's statutes is while going through trials. Even Paul agreed with these brethren. In Romans 5:3-5 he writes that we glory in tribulations or trials. He knew that trials produce endurance and the endurance produces experience and experience produces hope.

       At the end of my training, Lord willing, I will be running 10 mile runs on my high mileage days. All this training (trials) will have produced endurance. That endurance will have produced experience. I will know that I can run the distance necessary to complete the 10K race (6.2 miles). The experience will produce hope. Daniel Webster says that "hope" is the desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in this...hope implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.

       I could wish all day long I could run a 10K and never get off the couch. I will never run it. I could desire to run a 10K in under 50 minutes and yet never properly train for it. I would always wonder will I be able to do it? There is the anxiety and doubt. But when I have been properly trained and have endurance and the experience of running the distance, I have the hope or the excited expectation of obtaining it. I believe that running a 10K in under 50 minutes is obtainable to me. How much more true is that in our spiritual lives?

       As we go through trials, think of them as our training runs. The Lord is training us in order to build our endurance. He is giving us experience as we go through our trials and that experience will result in our hope in Him. When we are in the middle of our next trial we will have that excited expectation of obtaining more Christ-likeness. Like David in Psalm 42, we will say "O God, my soul is cast down with in me: therefore will I remember Thee." We will remember previous trials and how the Lord brought us through them...how He showed Himself strong on our behalf and we will say as he did... "Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance."

       What do you think about that? Now that trial doesn't seem so hard after all does it? Especially in the light of Romans 8:28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God; to them who are the called according to His purpose. I know this financial trial we are going through is simply preparing us for the future. Last week I was ready to quit and walk away. Today I am ready to run! That must have been how David felt after he encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

When your soul feels cast down, remember...

There will be times in our lives when our soul will be downcast or depressed. That is a natural response to overwhelming circumstances. By “natural” response I mean it is a response of the old nature to become depressed.

David was a man after God’s own heart and even he became downcast at times. I am of the persuasion the times he suffered depression were the times he was focused on his circumstances rather than being focused on the LORD.

Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 were written during such times.  One thing I greatly appreciate about David was even though he was a man of like passions as we are, and even though he was overwhelmed at times and was depressed, he always turned to the LORD. At some point in the midst of his circumstances his new nature took over and he encouraged himself in the LORD.

Psalm 42:6 clearly shows that David was depressed, yet immediately he remembered different occasions when the LORD showed Himself strong on David’s behalf.

John Gill, a beloved Baptist forefather, had this to say concerning Psalm 42:6…

Psalms 42:6

O my God, my soul is cast down within me
Which the psalmist repeats, partly to show the greatness of his dejection, though he had not lost his view of interest in God as his covenant God; and partly to observe another method he made use of to remove his dejection and refresh his spirits; and that was by calling to mind past experiences of divine goodness;

therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan;
the country round about it, or rather beyond it; which was at the farthest parts of the land of Canaan, where David was obliged to flee, and where he had often met with God;

and of the Hermonites;
who inhabited the mountain of Hermon; or the Hermonian mountains, as the Targum; see ( Psalms 133:3 ) ; a mountain upon the border of the land of Israel eastward, and which was very high; Cocceius thinks the Geshurites are meant; see ( 1 Samuel 27:8 ) ; here also the Lord had appeared to him, and for him; and

from the hill Mizar;
or "the little hill" ^F11; which might be so in comparison of Hermon. The above interpreter thinks Zoar is meant, which Lot so called, ( Genesis 19:20 Genesis 19:22 ) ; which was near Sodom and Gomorrah: Kimchi thinks it might be Zior, mentioned in ( Joshua 15:54 ) ; but, be it what or where it will, in this little hill David enjoyed the divine Presence; or was indulged with some remarkable favour; from all which he concludes he had no just reason to be dejected and disquieted in his mind: and right it is for the people of God to call to mind past experiences, and make mention of them; partly for the glory of divine grace, and to express their gratitude to God, and their sense of his goodness; and partly to cheer and refresh their own spirits, and prevent dejection and despondency: and delightful it is to call to mind, how, at such a time, and in such a place, the Lord was pleased to manifest his love, apply some gracious promise, or deliver from some sore temptation or distress: all which must tend to encourage faith and hope. The Jewish writers differently interpret these words; Jarchi, of David's remembrance of the wonderful works God did for the people of Israel of old, in drying up the river Jordan, and giving them the law on Mount Sinai, a little hill, in comparison of some others: Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, understand them as a reason of his dejection, when he remembered how the Israelites came from those several parts to the solemn feasts at Jerusalem, which he was now deprived of; and the Targum paraphrases them of the inhabitants of those places, and of the people that received the law on Mount Sinai, remembering God; and so Arama thinks "beyond Jordan" is mentioned because the law was given there; and by the hill Mizar he understands Sinai: and some Christian interpreters consider them as a reason why David's soul was cast down in him, he being in such places as here mentioned, at a distance from his own house, from Jerusalem, and the place of divine worship, and so render the words, "because that I remember thee" ^F12.

David ends this Psalm by encouraging himself to put his hope in LORD. He knew that the LORD was the health of his countenance, his help, his strong tower, his refuge, a very present help in trouble and because of that he was able to say, “I shall yet praise him.”

In this life circumstances will happen that will overwhelm us and when we focus our attention on them we will get depressed too. When that happens we should remind ourselves of instances when GOD has shown Himself strong on our behalf.  Keep your focus on Him…

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:1-2

Its good to have a few goals

     I have a few life goals, but they are not easily attained and are often revisited. Some will say never set goals that cannot be achieved. Well, these goals cannot be achieved in my own strength. To achieve them requires the working of the Holy Spirit of God. These are 11 things I would like to have in my life when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns. He chose me unto salvation for reasons known only to Him. He began a good work in me and will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.

     With that being said, here are my life goals...

Life Goals:

  1.   I want to see everything that happens in this life as God’s Divine Providence.
 (Daniel 4:35, Isaiah 46:9-10)

  2.  I want my reaction to circumstances to be consistent with the understanding that all things have been ordained by God. (Job 23:13-14)

  3.  I don’t want to worry about things I don’t have control over. (Matthew 6:24-34)

  4.  I want to know God’s purpose and calling for my life and to pursue it with all that is in me.

  5.  I want to stand boldly for the convictions God has given me, yet do so humbly and with a gracious spirit.

  6.  I want to share with the lost about the true condition of their souls, their need of a Savior, and point them to Jesus Christ the Son of God who came to save sinners. (Romans 10:13-15, I Timothy 1:15)

  7.  I want to take every opportunity I am given to open the Word of God and encourage and edify my fellow Christians. (John 21:15-22, II Timothy 4:2)

  8.  I want the words I say and the thoughts I think to be acceptable in the sight of my Lord. (Psalm 19:14, Psalm 39:1)

  9.  I want to cease from anger and forsake wrath. (Psalm 37:8, James 1:20)

10.  I want to lead the family God has given me as I follow after Christ.

THE

RESOLUTION

(as seen in the movie "Courageous") 

I DO solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

          

11.  I want to maintain a spirit of humility before God and men. (1 Peter 5:6, Micah 6:8)     

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Philippians 4:13