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And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
2 Peter 1:19

The lights of the big cities make even basic astronomy difficult to observe. For that reason, modern man knows less about the night sky than the average person did a century ago. One thing, however, is still readily visible even for the least experienced observer – the morning star.

Although three celestial bodies will share the title at different times during the year, a morning star is the last star to be still seen shining as the sun begins to rise. The brightest star in the heavens is Sirius, found in the constellation Canis Major, but in July and August it’s hailed as the morning star. The planets Venus and Mercury also compete for the title at other times during the year.

The Lord Jesus shines in the hearts of believers and that light has gone into very dark places. Its brilliance can be seen through depression and despair. Even during divorce or the loss of a loved one the Savior can be seen. When other points of reference seem to disappear, our Morning Star still shines in His full glory.

Who is this, who comes to meet me,
On the desert way,
As the Morning Star foretelling
God’s unclouded day?
He it is who came to win me,
On the cross of shame;
In His glory well I know Him,
Evermore the same.
                       – Gerhard Tersteegen 1697

*see also Revelation 2:28 and 22:16

November 3

Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus,
having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:20

The word “forerunner” brings to mind images of the Ford Model-T or the Commodore computer. They were cutting edge innovations in their day, but gave rise to bigger and better things. That is certainly not the case in today’s title.

A better definition is the one who goes on before to prepare the way for others to follow. Christ has paved the way for His church in many ways. He is the Firstfruits, the Firstborn over all creation, and a Guide even to Death. In each case, the Lord Jesus has gone before His people to pioneer the way for them.

In the verse above, Christ became our Forerunner in His capacity as High Priest. Since we have both the nature and practice of sinners, we are in no way ready to come into the presence of a Holy God. He is a Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29), so we would not even come close to Him, much less have fellowship with the Almighty. As “Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”, He atones for our sins, makes the substitutionary offering, and intercedes for us. None of these things could we do for ourselves.

The Savior got everything ready for us to go to heaven. He gave us citizenship in heaven by taking our sinful nature and making us holy even as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). He went to Mount Calvary and offered Himself as Propitiation, so our debt of sin could be paid (Hebrews 2:17). As Great High Priest, Jesus has passed through the heavens ahead of us to intercede for us, knowing full well our weaknesses, and then allows us to approach the throne of grace boldly to obtain mercy in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Alexander Pope was first to coin the phrase “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” If that’s the case, then a wise man is one who follows Christ Jesus as his Forerunner.

November 23

He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 8:14

Wichita, Kansas was a wild west town that was settled in the area just north of where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers come together. Like most of Kansas, this area is flat and since it lies between two rivers, the sandy ground is about 40 ft. deep on top of the bed rock. This was great for a pioneer settlement because it meant that the water table wasn’t deep and wells could easily be dug in the soft soil.

The section of the city with these cowboy roots is called Old Town and we own a house there that is now 110 years old. It’s not on any historical register, but it is certainly on the city inspector’s radar for old buildings he wants to keep his eye on. On one such inspection, every house on the block got a notice to repair their sidewalks. Shifting sands under the surface had made them buckle and the city declared them dangerous. They were stones of stumbling and the powers in charge told us to remove them.

The Lord Jesus is and always has been a stumbling block to those who reject Him. They find Him offensive, distasteful, politically incorrect, and intolerable. They want Him gone from their sight and their hearing. They’ll use legal action if necessary to remove this nuisance.

Churches and individual Christians are being sued in record numbers, because enemies of the cross of Christ find it profitable to bring those who would desire to live godly to financial ruin. They want anything promoting the Savior removed from the public square. They won’t walk around it, they want Him totally removed, because Christ Jesus is their Stone of Stumbling.

*see also Romans 9:32,33; 1 Peter 2:8

November 4

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:15

Long, long ago… there wasn’t even a galaxy far, far away. There was nothing as we know it now, not a planet, not a star, not a constellation. But there was God and He had His own separate dimension filled with Living Creatures, Cherubim, Seraphim, and a whole host of angels. There was a celestial city where the throne of God was placed, but nothing more than that has been revealed.

At the starting point of time, God invented visible light and probably the whole electromagnetic spectrum with radio waves, X-waves, and gamma radiation. Our universe then officially started. The Creator went on to make solids, liquids, and gases and formed them in a myriad of ways, making galaxies and nebuli. He must have had fun making whole new worlds, because He made so many. 

The Almighty is not matter or energy, but He played with them. Often when He approached His creation on earth He would dress Himself in light and people would refer to that as the Glory of the LORD. After designing and constructing the male human prototype and his female companion model, God put on physical form so He could walk and talk with mankind.

God was never created and Jesus was over all Creation long before He was born in Bethlehem. The title Firstborn refers to chronological order. By Christ “all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17). In short, the Son of God is the Firstborn over All Creation.

False witnesses try to confuse Christians by saying that this title means that Jesus was the first creature God created. Nothing can be further from the truth, because the Lord Jesus is God. His deity is obvious when the whole section is read in context (Colossians 1:9-18) and the conclusion is “that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

November 24

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
1 Peter 2:4

Choosing and rejecting go hand in hand. Whether it’s a new car or a brand of deodorant, once a buyer has selected what he wants, he’s rejected all the competition. In matters of faith, it all comes down to what a person is going to do with Christ: choose Him or reject Him.

Judas Iscariot wanted money more than the Savior. The mob outside the governor’s palace held a demonstration to get a murderer released while shouting down Jesus. Pontius Pilate condemned an innocent man to death, choosing political expediency instead. That’s the way it has been throughout the centuries. Multitudes have sold the Lord short, choosing rather things of dubious value.

Making bad decisions always has consequences. Some people pay thousands of dollars more than others for the same make and model of car, because they trusted their salesman to be honest. Believing a lie is usually linked with making bad decisions. This world claims to offer more benefits than can be found in Christ Jesus, but that is a deception that keeps people out of heaven.

The only real reason that people reject the Master for something else is that they don’t see His value; they don’t know He is Precious.

The enemies of God lie to us about what really matters. They have rejected Christ and the eternal life He offers. They go about trying to deceive others, but don’t understand that they themselves have been deceived (2 Timothy 3:13). How can they refuse the most valuable gift in the universe? The answer is simple. They believed a lie and rejected the truth. The Savior continues to be Rejected by Men.

November 5

…That we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true,
in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
1 John 5:20

The Lord Jesus is the True God which is something that true believers already know. However, to even need a title like this concludes the existence of fake gods that would deceive people allowing them to usurp the position of the True God.

In modern society, it’s anathema (an evil) to suggest that someone else’s religion is really a lie. For many, it is preferable to allow someone to go to hell unchallenged, than to risk the chance of them becoming offended.

Recently, a kindergarten student was sent home from class because he was having an asthma attack. Unfortunately, he died in the hospital a few hours later. Before school the next day, the principal called a teachers’ meeting to present talking points concerning discussing the child’s death with students. If a teacher was to be asked, “Is he in heaven now?” or other religious questions, teachers were instructed to say “something non-denominational” such as, “Everyone has different ideas and beliefs about what happens when we die. We don’t really know what ‘Johnny’ (not his real name) and his family believe, but he was a good person.”

How sad! At a very teachable moment, Christian teachers are forbidden to discuss anything about heaven and faith with students. With many years of experience in public education, I’ve seen repeatedly that it’s only the Christian teachers that follow the rules and do what they are told to do. Many atheist and agnostic teachers do what they jolly well please and don’t follow guidelines that they don’t like. It is rules like these that try to discourage any discussion of the True God. The lie that anything anyone could ever choose to believe is valid has become the official doctrine of modern society. To believe that only the Lord Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life cannot be allowed or tolerated by the establishment, even though He is the True God. 

November 6

…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18*

In studying the combined titles of Christ, word order is very important. Lord and Savior only occurs four times in the New Testament and interestingly enough, all are found in 2 Peter. In the Old Testament, three times it says, “I, the LORD am your Savior” (Isaiah 43:3, 49:26, 60:16). Although exact wording varies slightly, there is an additional two times that says “I am the LORD, besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11;Hosea 13:4).

It’s worth noting that the reverse order is not used even once, although the phrase is popular in modern evangelism. Frequently people are heard to say, “Just invite Jesus into your heart as Savior and Lord.” Although it might not be done consciously, the subliminal message that is communicated here is that Jesus is sought after as Savior and then somewhere down the line He may or may not become Lord. It can be argued that those who put the term Savior before Lord are not really shifting the spiritual emphasis. However, the part that is undeniable is that many sinners are eager to make Jesus their Savior (they don’t want to go to hell) without any intention of making Him their Lord.

In one sense there is no chronological order to this title, because Jesus is both Lord and Savior. At the same time, Christ instantly and automatically becomes the Savior of everyone who owns Him as Lord.

As the Lord of lords, the Savior has power over sin and death and hell, so He can and will save every sinner that comes to Him. As Savior who came to suffer and die as a substitute for sinners, true faith demands that He be loved, cherished, and obeyed as Lord.

That is why the two titles are actually one and Jesus is Lord and Savior.

*see also 2 Peter 1:11, 2:20, 3:2

November 7

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!”
Revelation 15:3

Since Jesus is the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords, He rules over many diverse people and nations. He’s the King of Israel, King of Righteousness, King of Peace, and King over all the Earth. But there is one distinction that really gets me excited. The Lord Jesus Christ is King of the Saints; He’s going to be my monarch!

When Christ was on earth, enemy soldiers gave Him a crown of thorns, mocked Him for being a king, and then spit on His face. Since then, He was caught up to glory and believers through the centuries have also suffered abuse as they waited for the return of the King of the Saints.

Ten terrible Roman persecutions fell on the faithful; some were crucified, some burned alive, and some fed to wild beasts. Still, they waited for their Lord’s return. The rise of Mohammed in the seventh century brought Jihad, beheadings, and slavery to Christians who longed for their coming King. Then the crusades, inquisition, and the rise of Communism brought more torture, imprisonment, and death for the saints. Still, they waited for their sovereign to come and bring peace.

The signs of the Lord’s soon return are becoming more evident every day. Terrorism clearly demonstrates “wars and rumors of war” that fill every corner of the planet. Talk of a new world order, as well as one global community and government, prepares the way for the Anti-Christ and his minions.

The good news is that this may be the last persecution. If the blood bought disciples of Christ can overcome one more reign of terror, then it’s over. Jesus is coming and those who served and suffered for the Lord will reign with Him. Hallelujah!

Even so come, O King of the Saints.

November 9

The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ — He is Lord of all—
Acts 10:36

“All” is such a little word, but it sure includes a lot of stuff. It has just three letters, one vowel, and one consonant, yet it contains everything out there (rocks, trees, butterflies, and bees; planets,  pumpkins, peanuts and people; sun, moon, stars, and galaxies; matter, energy, ideas, and the vacuum of space). Come to think about it, “all” is actually a very big word and Jesus Christ is Lord of All.

“Lord” is the chief, leader, president, king, emperor, potentate, jefe, head honcho, and person in charge. So if the Son of God is Lord of All, He’s over everywhere, everything, and everybody.

The context reveals that this was part of a message given by the Apostle Peter in the house of a centurion named Cornelius. At that time, Jewish people and Gentiles didn’t mingle and accepting the other’s dinner invitation was unheard of. So Peter had to explain what was happening. Since Jesus is Lord of All, He’s not the God of the Jews only, but of everyone in the whole world. That meant that the apostle felt compelled to leave his comfort zone and share the Savior cross-culturally.

Christ is not just the Redeemer of white, middle-class Americans, He came to seek and to save the lost no matter where they live. Arabs, Bedouins, China men, Dutchmen, and Eskimos all need to know the good news of sins forgiven and eternal life through faith in Jesus. That’s hard, because it is sooooo politically incorrect to share Christianity with those that are obviously non-Christian.

We live at a time when Radical Islam makes no apologies for trying to convert everyone to their religion through murder and intimidation. I, therefore, shouldn’t feel guilty or amiss for wanting to win the world with the love of Christ who is Lord of All. 

November 10

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20

I really enjoy growing a garden and I’m not even sure why. Most years, my actual harvest is miserable and the other years I get nothing at all. I’ve had my garden trampled down by boys playing hide-and-go-seek at night and normal 110 degree Kansas summers are very hard on vegetables. When I do get a tomato plant to flower and produce fruit, I do everything I can to see that it reaches maturity. I go out every day and watch the tiny ball slowly getting bigger, then finally turn pink. I know that soon and very soon, I’ll be able to pick and eat that very first tomato. I don’t even like tomatoes that much, but it is more than the realization of my work, time, and anticipation that results in a harvest of satisfaction. It’s the joy of seeing fruitfulness.

Over the years, I’ve been able to strike terror in the hearts of my sons, so they know that the very first red tomato is Papa’s. They can have any and all of the rest, but that first fruit is mine.

When God brought the children of Israel into the Promised Land, He made it very clear to them that the Land was His. They could use and enjoy it, but they were to bring Him an offering of the firstfruits every year. God gave them the land, the rain, and the increase, so the first part of every harvest was God’s.

It was an act of faith to give God the firstfruits, because once given, there was no guarantee that the rest of the crop would be harvested. A hail storm or plague of locusts could destroy all the rest. However, obedience was the best guarantee of God’s blessing and to not give God His portion was stealing from the Almighty.

Jesus is the Firstfruits of those who would be resurrected from the dead. Christ is dedicated to God and serves as a harbinger (promise of good things to come) for believers who are awaiting the resurrection from the dead and eternal life.

November 11