In December 2001, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons issued a report suggesting that many Americans are making plastic surgery one of their New Years resolutions. New Year resolutions are a traditional part of life. Look at some of the most popular ones that people will be making this year. What is your resolution for 2010? The strange thing about these resolutions is that it takes more than a “January 1st” on the calendar to bring about a real change; it takes determination; self control and perseverance even when we don’t feel like it; then with the help of God by the end of the year we can see the desired change.
Have you ever wondered what on earth you are here for? Rick Warren the author of “The purpose driven Life” notes, “The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you where placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”
I believe each of us is born for God’s purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD; plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.” The apostle Paul discovered his purpose on the road to Damascus. I have discovered my purpose in life in 1982. A friend of mine sent me a New Year greeting which said, “May God put a Rush in your life to Know Him more this year.” I think it is a worthy resolution to make in 2010 that we would know God more this year.
I. KNOWING CHRIST
We are living in an age in which we pay high price to gain Knowledge. Plato the famous Greek Philosopher once said “Knowledge is the food of the soul” Many philosophers today concede that Greek philosophy has shaped the entire Western thought since its inception. As Alfred Whitehead once noted, with some exaggeration, "Western philosophy is just a series of footnotes to Plato."[1] Greek thought is focused on the role of reason and inquiry. Isn’t that true that we place so much emphasis on “reason and inquiry”?
In ancient time’s silver was a precious commodity people would do anything to posses silver. In Proverbs 2:3-5 “and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”
Where did this quest for knowledge begin? It goes back to the garden of Eden when eve saw the fruit this is how she reasoned, “Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” Even today Satan appeals to our curiosity to know everything. We spend millions of dollars on “research”. There is nothing wrong in education, and acquiring knowledge but the question we must ask is what kind of knowledge? Knowing in itself is not enough but knowing the right thing is life giving.
Paul was dealing with a group of Gnostics who believed; “A person attains salvation by learning secret knowledge of their spiritual essence: a divine spark of light or spirit. They then have the opportunity to escape from the prison of their bodies at death.” The Gnostics saw Christ as the revealer or a liberator rather than a Savior or Judge” While certain Greeks were saying Knowledge is the way to salvation certain Jews were emphasizing circumcision is the only way of salvation.
Paul wrote in Philippians 3: 10-11 “I want to Know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” In order to Know Christ Paul was willing to give up everything. Phil 3:7-9 “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.”
Nothing in the world can even come close to the value of knowing Christ. It is far more worth than winning a million dollars in a lottery. Nothing can be compared with the thrill and joy you find when you know Christ. It is beyond all our imaginations and human understanding. Knowing Christ is eternal life. (John 17:3) Throughout the centuries many believers have tried to live out the words of Paul when they sought after Christ more than anything. Fanny Crosby one of the most famous American Hymn writers wrote more than 9000 Hymns. One of her Hymns was “Take the whole world but give me Jesus” We don’t sing these Hymns these days; they are not appealing to carnal Christians. Instead some may sing; Give me the world and take Jesus” or some others may sing “Give me the world and Jesus.”
You can not have both the world and Jesus at the same time.
For Paul and many saints who have gone before us Knowing Christ was everything. They considered everything else as rubbish when it comes to gaining Christ. What is that you need to give up in 2010 so that you may know Christ and the power of His resurrection? Knowing Christ is everything because knowing Christ is Salvation and it is eternal life.
II. LIVING FOR CHRIST
In any church there could be three categories of people. Firstly, there are those who sincerely attend Church; show up at every church event; but have never been born again or made Christ the Lord of their life. Secondly, there are those who have accepted Christ but have become stagnated in their growth, they may go through motions but other things take precedence in their life, they are sleeping Christians. Thirdly, there are those who are steadily growing in their faith, they are Kingdom minded and truly seek to live for God and bear fruit for Him. In which category do you belong?
If you have never accepted Christ or have back slidden there is hope for you. I don’t worry about those who are steadily growing in the LORD. But I fear for those sleeping Christians. One way knowing Christ is everything but it is not then end in itself. Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus and encouraged them to discover God’s purpose in life. Ephesians 5:14-17 "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.” This text reminds us that we are to wake up from our sleep, we are to be wise and not to be foolish and miss God’s will. We are to redeem our time. We have to discover our purpose.
I often hear New the England Christians are called “the Frozen Chosen” this is not something new; D.L Moody one of America’s great evangelist observed in his Boston campaign in 1877. I quote “Christianity has been on the defensive long enough, especially here in New England. The time has come for us to open a war of aggression. Remember during the War of the Rebellion some of the generals kept their armies on the defensive until they got frustrated. I guess a good many Christians here in New England have just got into their cushioned pews and gone to sleep.”
Unquote, nothing much has changed since then, by and large we are still in a frozen state. My prayer is that in 2010 God would send His Holy Spirit fire among us to thaw our frozen hearts so that we will rise up from our slumber and discover His purpose for our lives and for our Church.
Paul reminded the Corinthian believers of their responsibility. He did not want them to be idle and do nothing about their faith. II Corinthians 5:14-15 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
If you are a born again Christian you are not to live for yourself but for Christ who died for your sins. If Christ emptied himself; gave up everything including His very life so that you and I could live then what right do we have to hold on to things in life? If we are indeed the followers of Christ then we are called to follow in his foot steps. I know it is easier said than done. Nevertheless can we make a resolution not to seek our own selfish interests instead we seek to please Him. Paul said; “For Christ’s love compels us” The word to compel means “drivingly forceful; irresistible” In other words Paul was driven by Christ’s forceful and irresistible love. The media and the advertisements are compelling. In order to persuade customers or clients compelling ad writers keep two things in mind: 1. knowing their product 2. Knowing their audience. In business terms Paul knew his product, knew his audience and also knew how to sell his product convincingly. He was convinced without a doubt that Christ died and rose again for all people, therefore all people can be saved.
Paul also knew that if any one is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come. If you are a believer in Christ today you are to ask for yourself how far am I living according to the new nature Christ has given me? Or am I letting my old nature dominate and make me a slave all over again? If you are in Christ indeed you are a new creation which means you are not meant to go on living a sinful life.
Paul wanted the believers to know their purpose, one metaphor he used was “you are Christ’s ambassadors” The word ambassador means: an official envoy; the resident representative of his or her own government in a foreign country, an authorized representative or messenger. The government vests it’s authority in the ambassador. In the same way God has committed his message to us and Christ has sent us into the world with his authority.
What is his message that God has committed to us? Through Christ you and I can be reconciled back to God. We tend to have a wrong concept of ministry. We think ministry is only for those who had been to a seminary or a bible college, for pastors and evangelists. No! To every child of God he has given a ministry of reconciliation. You and I are to go out and bring people back to God. You can do that at your school; work place; at the soccer field; market place and every where.
Knowing Christ is eternal life. Do you know Christ as your personal savior today? Knowing Christ is not the end in itself. After knowing, comes making Him known. We are called to reach out to our generation with the gospel. Only by surrendering your life to Christ; you can discover your purpose in life. Have you found your purpose? If you have not yet given your life to Jesus it is never too late; you can do it today. All you need to do is to confess that you have sinned; believe that Christ has died for your sins; ask Jesus to forgive your sins and then come into your heart and to enable you to live for him for the rest of your life. May be you have been a Christian all your life; but you need some fire in your walk with God. Ask God to forgive you for being lukewarm. Rededicate your life afresh. Ask him to fill you with his Holy Spirit to keep your flame burning for Christ.
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you in 2010 with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Hebrews 13:20-21 Amen.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sunday, December 27, 2009
THREE AMAZING ACTS OF LOVE:(HOSEA 11:1-3)
In the 60’s, the Beatles rocked the world through their mesmerizing songs. John Lennon the lead singer wanted to send a tantalizing message to the world so he wrote a song on “Love” which was performed live; and watched by 400 million in 26 countries. If you listen to the song closely you can read the mixed messages.
“There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy “All you need is love, all you need is love; All you need is love, love, love is all you need.”
One way this message was saying you can do everything; does that make you special? No, because what you can do some one else can also do, perhaps better than you, then what makes you special? The only thing that makes you special is love. All you ever need and want is love” Because love is all you need. The Beatles were successful in convincing millions about their version of love but they did not quite know how to point people in the right direction. Could it be because they themselves were looking for love in the wrong places such as, music, drugs, sex, and popularity and so on?
The question however you must ask is what makes me special? Or what can set me apart from the rest? Where can I find true love? Who can truly love me unconditionally? If we were sincere; then our search for true love would lead us to Jesus who came into the world as an expression of God’s love for humanity.
When God wanted to show the world that he loved the world he did not simply say it in words “I Love You” but demonstrated it by sending his only son Jesus Christ into the world. That is the essence of Christmas. In John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” How else did God manifest his love? The prophet Hosea highlights several acts of God’s love toward his people. I would look at three amazing acts of love: His redemption; his care and his correction.
I. GOD’S REDEEMING LOVE:
Hosea was the last prophet in Israel. He preached during the reign of Jeroboam II (793-753) B.C His mission was to call the nation of Israel to repent. Upon God’s command Hosea marries Gomer who was practicing harlotry. Hosea’s dealings with Gomer and the names given to the children who were born to him and conceived by Gomer was an object lesson to the Israelites. Just like Gomer was found unfaithful to Hosea the children of Israel too were unfaithful to God. Hosea pursued his unfaithful wife with a love similar to the love with which God perused unfaithful Israel. Inspite of their unfaithfulness God called out to the them to return.
Though the nation of Israel was turning away from God; he loved them; out of his great love for them he called them to come back to him. Just like the nation of Israel we too can go away from the Lord. The call of God is still the same even today. He is calling out to the unfaithful, and rebellious to come back to him in repentance. Vs 1. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” The first part of the verse indicates that God loved the nation of Israel from its infant stage. The statement “Out of Egypt I called my son” was not only referring to God redeeming Israel from the oppression of Egypt but also carried a futuristic message about the upcoming messiah. It was fulfilled in Mathew 2:15 “Out of Egypt did I call my Son.”
In Exodus 4:22, 23 “My son” was referring to Israel and in Matthew 2:15 “My Son” was referring to Jesus.
The words “my son” indicates a special and intimate father and son relationship God enjoyed with the nation of Israel. God loved Israel so much that he redeemed them from their oppressors. In Psalm 130:8 - 131:1 “He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.” Exodus 6:6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an out stretched arm and with great judgments” What does redemption mean?
The word redemption means: The repayment of a debt. The act of purchasing back something previously sold. Theologically it is the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil. In any case the one who is being redeemed depends on the mercy of his redeemer. The Bible says every one who sins becomes a slave to sin. Christ came to set the captives free.
Keith Green a popular American music artist searched r true love in the wrong places, In his mid teens, he became heavily involved in drug use, eastern religion, astrology, and mysticism. His search came to an end when he finally received the true love of God; so he wrote:
“Like a foolish dreamer, trying to build a highway to the sky
All my hopes would come tumbling down, and I never knew just why
Until today, when you pulled away the clouds that hung like curtains on my eyes
Well I've been blind all these wasted years and I thought I was so wise
But then you took me by surprise
Like waking up from the longest dream, how real it seemed
Until your love broke through
I've been lost in a fantasy, that blinded me
Until your love broke through”
Your problem may not be drugs; or astrology and mysticism likes; it may be something else but if you have not yet found the true love of God; you might be searching for it in the wrong places like the Beatles and Keith Green.
II. God’s Caring Love: Hosea 11: 3 “Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk. I took them in my arms. But they did not know that I healed them. This verse explains how the Lord dealt with Ephraim or Israel as a father would deal with his son. By emphasizing it was I the Lord wanted the nation of Israel to know it was indeed God who has done the caring, teaching and healing and not their idols as they were led to believe.
God showed his love, care and instruction to the Israelites as a loving father would do to his children. Kidner states, “Fatherly love, in Hosea 11:1, is now in vs 3 charmingly portrayed in a scene that any family will recognize, with father absorbed in coaxing and supporting the child’s first staggering steps; picking him up when he tries or tumbles.”
I am familiar with this kind of training. I remember how I used to enjoy helping my three daughters when they started to walk. I would hold them by their arms and walk with them. Marriage and family are the most important institutions on the earth. Through a mother and a father God wants to demonstrate his loving nature. But unfortunately the very foundation of marriage and family are brutally attacked by Satan. As a result we have families breaking apart; marriages are failing; single moms are raising children and so on. Children growing up in families without a father figure at all in the first place or with abusive parents have difficulty relating to a heavenly caring and loving father. Have you ever doubted whether God loves you?
A famous poem of Foot prints by Mary Stevenson.
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
Some times we question God’s caring love don’t we? We wonder where God is when we are going through tough times in our lives. Though we do not see him with our physical eyes it doesn’t mean he is not involved in our lives. God wanted the Israelites to realize that it was he who taught them (by giving them the law and the prophets, it was he who fed them for 40 years in the wilderness. It was he who healed them when they were sick; in Psalm 107:20 “He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” The unseen God is very much present in the lives of his people through many acts of his loving care. Psalm 77:19 “Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.” Whether we recognize it or not God cares for his people. I Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”
III. GOD’S DISCIPLINING LOVE:
Discipline is one word many of us would wish it did not exist in the dictionary. It certainly is true that in some people’s lives it doesn’t exist. No one particularly enjoys discipline but it is essential for growth and success. If you want to progress and get ahead in life you need to learn discipline how ever unpleasant it may be. There are 36 scriptures in the Bible pertaining to discipline: Let me mention a few:
The friends who came to comfort Job in his time of distress gave this advice to him.
Job 5:17 “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures but his hands also heal.”
God rebukes and discipline’s men for their sin regardless of who they are especially those he loves the most. Hosea 5:1-2 we see that the priests and the royal house have rebelled against God so he says “I will discipline all of them” When it comes to discipline God doesn’t spare any one of his children. Psalm 39:11 “You rebuke and discipline men for their sin”
Why should we embrace discipline in our lives?
Proverbs 12:1 “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Proverbs 13:18 “He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.”
Hebrews 12:5-9 "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.”
If God disciplines his children because he loves them then how can we withhold love from our children by not disciplining them?
Parents please take note; I can not over emphasize the importance of disciplining our children. Let’s not neglect our God given responsibility to discipline our children while they are young. Partly the kind of mess we are in with the crime; youth violence; drug abuse is because many parents have abdicated their responsibility. If we discipline our children well today tomorrow the courts don’t have to punish them for their wrong and unruly behavior.
The Bible doesn’t mince words when it comes to how to parent our children. Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.
Proverbs 19:18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. In NLT it says “Otherwise you will ruin their lives.”
A.W Tozer (1897-1963) a well known Christian author of over 40 books including “The pursuit of God and the Knowledge of the Holy” He was considered by many Christian leaders as a modern day prophet. This is what he says about discipline in the American Church. “We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living. This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money, we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline practically has disappeared. What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician's instrument were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not "disciplined"?
The numbers tell us how undisciplined we are “The Percentage of American's who own running shoes but don't run is 87%”
Some of us wonder whether God still loves us after all what we have done to grieve him. The truth of the matter is that he still loves us inspite of all the wrong things we have done. He will punish us for our sins but he never with hold his love from us like he promised to king Solomon in 2 Samuel 7:14-15.
How does God demonstrate his amazing acts of love towards you? When you fall down he will pick you up; when you are wounded he will heal you; when you are feeling lonely he will come near you and stay with you. When you are hurting he will comfort you. When you are struggling financially he seeks to teach you and train you. When you disobey his commands he will rebuke and discipline you. When you are in danger he will send his angels to protect you. When you repent of your sin he will forgive and redeem you.
Because his great love God redeems us, cares for us and disciplines us. Revelation 3:19 “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” Therefore Let’s turn back to God in repentance and bring our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
“There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy “All you need is love, all you need is love; All you need is love, love, love is all you need.”
One way this message was saying you can do everything; does that make you special? No, because what you can do some one else can also do, perhaps better than you, then what makes you special? The only thing that makes you special is love. All you ever need and want is love” Because love is all you need. The Beatles were successful in convincing millions about their version of love but they did not quite know how to point people in the right direction. Could it be because they themselves were looking for love in the wrong places such as, music, drugs, sex, and popularity and so on?
The question however you must ask is what makes me special? Or what can set me apart from the rest? Where can I find true love? Who can truly love me unconditionally? If we were sincere; then our search for true love would lead us to Jesus who came into the world as an expression of God’s love for humanity.
When God wanted to show the world that he loved the world he did not simply say it in words “I Love You” but demonstrated it by sending his only son Jesus Christ into the world. That is the essence of Christmas. In John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” How else did God manifest his love? The prophet Hosea highlights several acts of God’s love toward his people. I would look at three amazing acts of love: His redemption; his care and his correction.
I. GOD’S REDEEMING LOVE:
Hosea was the last prophet in Israel. He preached during the reign of Jeroboam II (793-753) B.C His mission was to call the nation of Israel to repent. Upon God’s command Hosea marries Gomer who was practicing harlotry. Hosea’s dealings with Gomer and the names given to the children who were born to him and conceived by Gomer was an object lesson to the Israelites. Just like Gomer was found unfaithful to Hosea the children of Israel too were unfaithful to God. Hosea pursued his unfaithful wife with a love similar to the love with which God perused unfaithful Israel. Inspite of their unfaithfulness God called out to the them to return.
Though the nation of Israel was turning away from God; he loved them; out of his great love for them he called them to come back to him. Just like the nation of Israel we too can go away from the Lord. The call of God is still the same even today. He is calling out to the unfaithful, and rebellious to come back to him in repentance. Vs 1. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” The first part of the verse indicates that God loved the nation of Israel from its infant stage. The statement “Out of Egypt I called my son” was not only referring to God redeeming Israel from the oppression of Egypt but also carried a futuristic message about the upcoming messiah. It was fulfilled in Mathew 2:15 “Out of Egypt did I call my Son.”
In Exodus 4:22, 23 “My son” was referring to Israel and in Matthew 2:15 “My Son” was referring to Jesus.
The words “my son” indicates a special and intimate father and son relationship God enjoyed with the nation of Israel. God loved Israel so much that he redeemed them from their oppressors. In Psalm 130:8 - 131:1 “He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.” Exodus 6:6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an out stretched arm and with great judgments” What does redemption mean?
The word redemption means: The repayment of a debt. The act of purchasing back something previously sold. Theologically it is the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil. In any case the one who is being redeemed depends on the mercy of his redeemer. The Bible says every one who sins becomes a slave to sin. Christ came to set the captives free.
Keith Green a popular American music artist searched r true love in the wrong places, In his mid teens, he became heavily involved in drug use, eastern religion, astrology, and mysticism. His search came to an end when he finally received the true love of God; so he wrote:
“Like a foolish dreamer, trying to build a highway to the sky
All my hopes would come tumbling down, and I never knew just why
Until today, when you pulled away the clouds that hung like curtains on my eyes
Well I've been blind all these wasted years and I thought I was so wise
But then you took me by surprise
Like waking up from the longest dream, how real it seemed
Until your love broke through
I've been lost in a fantasy, that blinded me
Until your love broke through”
Your problem may not be drugs; or astrology and mysticism likes; it may be something else but if you have not yet found the true love of God; you might be searching for it in the wrong places like the Beatles and Keith Green.
II. God’s Caring Love: Hosea 11: 3 “Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk. I took them in my arms. But they did not know that I healed them. This verse explains how the Lord dealt with Ephraim or Israel as a father would deal with his son. By emphasizing it was I the Lord wanted the nation of Israel to know it was indeed God who has done the caring, teaching and healing and not their idols as they were led to believe.
God showed his love, care and instruction to the Israelites as a loving father would do to his children. Kidner states, “Fatherly love, in Hosea 11:1, is now in vs 3 charmingly portrayed in a scene that any family will recognize, with father absorbed in coaxing and supporting the child’s first staggering steps; picking him up when he tries or tumbles.”
I am familiar with this kind of training. I remember how I used to enjoy helping my three daughters when they started to walk. I would hold them by their arms and walk with them. Marriage and family are the most important institutions on the earth. Through a mother and a father God wants to demonstrate his loving nature. But unfortunately the very foundation of marriage and family are brutally attacked by Satan. As a result we have families breaking apart; marriages are failing; single moms are raising children and so on. Children growing up in families without a father figure at all in the first place or with abusive parents have difficulty relating to a heavenly caring and loving father. Have you ever doubted whether God loves you?
A famous poem of Foot prints by Mary Stevenson.
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
Some times we question God’s caring love don’t we? We wonder where God is when we are going through tough times in our lives. Though we do not see him with our physical eyes it doesn’t mean he is not involved in our lives. God wanted the Israelites to realize that it was he who taught them (by giving them the law and the prophets, it was he who fed them for 40 years in the wilderness. It was he who healed them when they were sick; in Psalm 107:20 “He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” The unseen God is very much present in the lives of his people through many acts of his loving care. Psalm 77:19 “Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.” Whether we recognize it or not God cares for his people. I Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”
III. GOD’S DISCIPLINING LOVE:
Discipline is one word many of us would wish it did not exist in the dictionary. It certainly is true that in some people’s lives it doesn’t exist. No one particularly enjoys discipline but it is essential for growth and success. If you want to progress and get ahead in life you need to learn discipline how ever unpleasant it may be. There are 36 scriptures in the Bible pertaining to discipline: Let me mention a few:
The friends who came to comfort Job in his time of distress gave this advice to him.
Job 5:17 “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures but his hands also heal.”
God rebukes and discipline’s men for their sin regardless of who they are especially those he loves the most. Hosea 5:1-2 we see that the priests and the royal house have rebelled against God so he says “I will discipline all of them” When it comes to discipline God doesn’t spare any one of his children. Psalm 39:11 “You rebuke and discipline men for their sin”
Why should we embrace discipline in our lives?
Proverbs 12:1 “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Proverbs 13:18 “He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.”
Hebrews 12:5-9 "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.”
If God disciplines his children because he loves them then how can we withhold love from our children by not disciplining them?
Parents please take note; I can not over emphasize the importance of disciplining our children. Let’s not neglect our God given responsibility to discipline our children while they are young. Partly the kind of mess we are in with the crime; youth violence; drug abuse is because many parents have abdicated their responsibility. If we discipline our children well today tomorrow the courts don’t have to punish them for their wrong and unruly behavior.
The Bible doesn’t mince words when it comes to how to parent our children. Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.
Proverbs 19:18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. In NLT it says “Otherwise you will ruin their lives.”
A.W Tozer (1897-1963) a well known Christian author of over 40 books including “The pursuit of God and the Knowledge of the Holy” He was considered by many Christian leaders as a modern day prophet. This is what he says about discipline in the American Church. “We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living. This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money, we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline practically has disappeared. What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician's instrument were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not "disciplined"?
The numbers tell us how undisciplined we are “The Percentage of American's who own running shoes but don't run is 87%”
Some of us wonder whether God still loves us after all what we have done to grieve him. The truth of the matter is that he still loves us inspite of all the wrong things we have done. He will punish us for our sins but he never with hold his love from us like he promised to king Solomon in 2 Samuel 7:14-15.
How does God demonstrate his amazing acts of love towards you? When you fall down he will pick you up; when you are wounded he will heal you; when you are feeling lonely he will come near you and stay with you. When you are hurting he will comfort you. When you are struggling financially he seeks to teach you and train you. When you disobey his commands he will rebuke and discipline you. When you are in danger he will send his angels to protect you. When you repent of your sin he will forgive and redeem you.
Because his great love God redeems us, cares for us and disciplines us. Revelation 3:19 “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” Therefore Let’s turn back to God in repentance and bring our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
CONSIDER AGAIN CHRISTMAS
When Pope Julius I authorized December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353, who would have ever thought that it would become what it is today. When Professor Charles Follen, lit candles on the first Christmas tree in America in 1832, who would have ever thought that the decorations would become as elaborate as they are today. It is a long time since 1832, and longer still from that first dark night brightened by a special star in which Jesus the king was born. Yet, as we approach December 25 again, it gives us yet another opportunity to pause, and in the midst of all the excitement and elaborate decorations and expensive commercialization which surround Christmas today, to consider again the event of Christmas and the person whose birth we celebrate.
How things have changed since the first Christmas. It was angels who announced the message of first Christmas. Now it’s the Macys on November 27th they ushered in the holiday season by lighting the Christmas tree in downtown Boston; announcing it is time to start emptying our pockets on Christmas gifts; replacing Christ with Santa. At the first Christmas the shepherds came longingly to Bethlehem to see the savior of the world; today both the adults and children alike come around the Christmas tree can hardly wait to unravel their Christmas presents. When the wise men mentioned to the then King Herod about the birth of the King of the Jews; along with him all of Jerusalem was disturbed. Today the very mention of Christmas is politically incorrect. How come we have replaced the eternal truths with material things? Is it time for us to consider again the true meaning and the message of Christmas?
I. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF REMEMBERENCE:
Joseph perhaps is the most forgotten man of Christmas. He is Joseph the silent. In the word of God, Joseph never says a word. He is talked to and talked about, but not a single syllable comes from the mouth of Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus. Joseph has the role of an extra. He is a character with minor credits. When we deal with our nativity scenes, he may be the last one set up and first one toppled over. Even though there are fifteen cities in the United States named after him, Joseph is the forgotten man of Christmas.
Many can identify with Joseph in the Christmas story; he is the forgotten man of Christmas; have you ever felt like Joseph lately? You may be feeling left out or lonely; thinking no one remembers you; no one seem to care enough even to send you a Christmas card; You may be surrounded by family and friends but emotionally unfulfilled, that may be your situation. The truth of the matter is that this Christmas season no one is left out or forgotten by God.
As promised, God remembered the prophecies concerning the messiah. The birth of Jesus was prophesied around 700 BC, by the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 9:4 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.”
In Malachi 4:5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah, before the great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” This birth was referring to John the Baptist. In Biblical history, the approximately 400 years that separate from the time of Nehemiah to the birth of Christ, are known as the intertestamental period. Some times called the “silent years” they were anything but silent. Just imagine for 400 years; No visions! No revelation? No angelic visitations from God? In other words God was silent; the heavens were shut.
Oh! what hard years they must have been? Even though nothing spectacular was happening there were people like Zechariah and Elizabeth who were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.(Lk 1:6)
How ironic it is; today like never before in the history we have access to the best Bible teachers and preachers through TV, Radio and Internet; all the best available Christian literature. How careless and callous have we become when it comes to obeying God and his commandments?
In Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of time came God sent forth his son born of a woman” Paul captured God’s timing beautifully here; the Greek words “pleroma chronos” meaning complete; fulfillment; the state of being full. God’s timing is never too early neither it is too late but his timing is perfect. The arrival of Christ the messiah has changed the face of the earth. God never forgets; he remembers his promises.
II. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF DELIVERANCE:
In the year 63 BC Pompey the Roman general, captured Jerusalem, and the provinces of Palestine became subject to Rome. Herod was the great King over Judea. During these unhappy years of oppression and internal strife the Jewish people were looking for the messiah to come and deliver them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. It was a long wait; but finally that wait ended when Gabriel appeared to Zachariah who was the priest at that time. He was told that his wife was going to have a baby. At first Zachariah was skeptic; but when the promise came through he prophesied Luke 1:69-74 “He (God)has raised up a horn (strength) of salvation for us in the house of his servant David)…salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us…to rescue us from the hand of our enemies..”
Christmas is a time of deliverance; It was not only meant for the Jewish people then but it is also for us today. The culture we live in today gives prominence to self reliance and self actualization. As a result there are a lot of “self help” and “do it yourself” books out there. This in itself is not necessarily bad but some times these books make us think we are invincible; we can do any and everything. We become gods in our own eyes. No doubt there is definitely place for taking personal responsibility when it comes to dealing with life; but certain situations are too hard; they are beyond us, that is when we must cry out for outside help.
In the Celebrate Recovery a twelve Step Christ centered recovery program by the way our church offers such a program right here; they begin their process of recovery by reminding people with addictions: “we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives become unmanageable” Secondly, We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” I like this approach in recovery because it is a cry for help; a cry for a deliverer who can come and deliver people from their addictions and compulsive behaviors. We need a deliverer who is much stronger than ourselves.
When the Israelites faced the Red Sea in front of them and their enemies were fast approaching behind them Moses said to them: Exodus 14:13"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” Psalm 33:17 “A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.” Paul learned not to rely upon himself but entrusted his life to some one who can deliver him from his troubles so that he could say, 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,”
John Paton (1824-1907) was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu.. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station.”
God is our strong deliverer. Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
III. CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON OF JOY:
C.S Lewis once said, “Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
Men and women have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not.
Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found:
Not in Unbelief -- Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: "I wish I had never been born."
Not in Pleasure -- Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and grief are mine alone."
Not in Money -- Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying, he said: "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth." Barney Madoff might say the same
Not in Position and Fame -- Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret."
Not in Military Glory -- Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, before he said, "There are no more worlds to conquer."
Where then is real joy found?
Did you know that there are more scriptures in the Bible speak of joy than sorrow and misery? Sad 9; Sorrow 34; Misery 34; Pain 39, Joy 210;. If these numbers should say any thing they should say that our God is a God of joy and not of sadness and misery. If God is not the source of sadness, sickness and misery then who else could be the source?
How can we differentiate joy from happiness? According to Webster: “Happiness is the pleasurable experience that springs from the gratification of desires; enjoyment; good fortune; luck; prosperity.” It is based on luck or good fortune. Joy on the other hand is described as a vivid emotion of pleasure. Thus happiness depends on circumstance; joy on our emotional well being. When we win a lottery we feel happy; but we feel joy when we look at our children or grand children. The following Alive website article reads:
“One way to understand the differences between joy and happiness is to think about their opposites. While the opposite of happiness is unhappiness, the opposite of joy is fear.
William Blake showed us the dichotomy between opposites. He wrote that two opposing emotions such as fear and joy expand and contract in direct relation to the presence of the other. We cannot feel total joy and total fear at the same time. This is why real joy is the absence of fear. Happiness happens when things go well. Joy on the other hand comes from a swell of emotion within us and sometimes has to be learned.”
If Joy is the absence of fear could it be for that reason when the angels visited Zachariah, Mary; Joseph; and the shepherds the first thing they said was “Do not be afraid”? Because the news followed afterwards would no longer be good news because if they were afraid. During his earth several times Jesus assured his disciples saying “fear not”; After, his death and resurrection the angels told the frightened women don’t be afraid Whenever God appeared to his people in the Bible and even today the first thing he wants to take care of is fear because you can not have fear and trust God at the same time.
The Bible is full of scriptures that say; do not be afraid.
Do we dare to let go of our fears and rejoice that the Savior has come? Or are we like the Presbyterians at a conference in Omaha who were put to a little “Joy test”. People were given helium filled balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt like expressing the joy in their hearts. Since they were Presbyterians, they weren't free to say "Hallelujah, Praise the Lord." All through the service balloons ascended, but when it was over 1/3 of the balloons were unreleased. Let your balloon go! Lift up you head and let your heart sing. Joy to the world the Lord has come… Let earth rejoice his
How things have changed since the first Christmas. It was angels who announced the message of first Christmas. Now it’s the Macys on November 27th they ushered in the holiday season by lighting the Christmas tree in downtown Boston; announcing it is time to start emptying our pockets on Christmas gifts; replacing Christ with Santa. At the first Christmas the shepherds came longingly to Bethlehem to see the savior of the world; today both the adults and children alike come around the Christmas tree can hardly wait to unravel their Christmas presents. When the wise men mentioned to the then King Herod about the birth of the King of the Jews; along with him all of Jerusalem was disturbed. Today the very mention of Christmas is politically incorrect. How come we have replaced the eternal truths with material things? Is it time for us to consider again the true meaning and the message of Christmas?
I. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF REMEMBERENCE:
Joseph perhaps is the most forgotten man of Christmas. He is Joseph the silent. In the word of God, Joseph never says a word. He is talked to and talked about, but not a single syllable comes from the mouth of Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus. Joseph has the role of an extra. He is a character with minor credits. When we deal with our nativity scenes, he may be the last one set up and first one toppled over. Even though there are fifteen cities in the United States named after him, Joseph is the forgotten man of Christmas.
Many can identify with Joseph in the Christmas story; he is the forgotten man of Christmas; have you ever felt like Joseph lately? You may be feeling left out or lonely; thinking no one remembers you; no one seem to care enough even to send you a Christmas card; You may be surrounded by family and friends but emotionally unfulfilled, that may be your situation. The truth of the matter is that this Christmas season no one is left out or forgotten by God.
As promised, God remembered the prophecies concerning the messiah. The birth of Jesus was prophesied around 700 BC, by the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 9:4 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.”
In Malachi 4:5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah, before the great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” This birth was referring to John the Baptist. In Biblical history, the approximately 400 years that separate from the time of Nehemiah to the birth of Christ, are known as the intertestamental period. Some times called the “silent years” they were anything but silent. Just imagine for 400 years; No visions! No revelation? No angelic visitations from God? In other words God was silent; the heavens were shut.
Oh! what hard years they must have been? Even though nothing spectacular was happening there were people like Zechariah and Elizabeth who were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.(Lk 1:6)
How ironic it is; today like never before in the history we have access to the best Bible teachers and preachers through TV, Radio and Internet; all the best available Christian literature. How careless and callous have we become when it comes to obeying God and his commandments?
In Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of time came God sent forth his son born of a woman” Paul captured God’s timing beautifully here; the Greek words “pleroma chronos” meaning complete; fulfillment; the state of being full. God’s timing is never too early neither it is too late but his timing is perfect. The arrival of Christ the messiah has changed the face of the earth. God never forgets; he remembers his promises.
II. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME OF DELIVERANCE:
In the year 63 BC Pompey the Roman general, captured Jerusalem, and the provinces of Palestine became subject to Rome. Herod was the great King over Judea. During these unhappy years of oppression and internal strife the Jewish people were looking for the messiah to come and deliver them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. It was a long wait; but finally that wait ended when Gabriel appeared to Zachariah who was the priest at that time. He was told that his wife was going to have a baby. At first Zachariah was skeptic; but when the promise came through he prophesied Luke 1:69-74 “He (God)has raised up a horn (strength) of salvation for us in the house of his servant David)…salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us…to rescue us from the hand of our enemies..”
Christmas is a time of deliverance; It was not only meant for the Jewish people then but it is also for us today. The culture we live in today gives prominence to self reliance and self actualization. As a result there are a lot of “self help” and “do it yourself” books out there. This in itself is not necessarily bad but some times these books make us think we are invincible; we can do any and everything. We become gods in our own eyes. No doubt there is definitely place for taking personal responsibility when it comes to dealing with life; but certain situations are too hard; they are beyond us, that is when we must cry out for outside help.
In the Celebrate Recovery a twelve Step Christ centered recovery program by the way our church offers such a program right here; they begin their process of recovery by reminding people with addictions: “we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives become unmanageable” Secondly, We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” I like this approach in recovery because it is a cry for help; a cry for a deliverer who can come and deliver people from their addictions and compulsive behaviors. We need a deliverer who is much stronger than ourselves.
When the Israelites faced the Red Sea in front of them and their enemies were fast approaching behind them Moses said to them: Exodus 14:13"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” Psalm 33:17 “A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.” Paul learned not to rely upon himself but entrusted his life to some one who can deliver him from his troubles so that he could say, 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,”
John Paton (1824-1907) was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu.. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station.”
God is our strong deliverer. Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
III. CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON OF JOY:
C.S Lewis once said, “Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
Men and women have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not.
Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found:
Not in Unbelief -- Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: "I wish I had never been born."
Not in Pleasure -- Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and grief are mine alone."
Not in Money -- Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying, he said: "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth." Barney Madoff might say the same
Not in Position and Fame -- Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret."
Not in Military Glory -- Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, before he said, "There are no more worlds to conquer."
Where then is real joy found?
Did you know that there are more scriptures in the Bible speak of joy than sorrow and misery? Sad 9; Sorrow 34; Misery 34; Pain 39, Joy 210;. If these numbers should say any thing they should say that our God is a God of joy and not of sadness and misery. If God is not the source of sadness, sickness and misery then who else could be the source?
How can we differentiate joy from happiness? According to Webster: “Happiness is the pleasurable experience that springs from the gratification of desires; enjoyment; good fortune; luck; prosperity.” It is based on luck or good fortune. Joy on the other hand is described as a vivid emotion of pleasure. Thus happiness depends on circumstance; joy on our emotional well being. When we win a lottery we feel happy; but we feel joy when we look at our children or grand children. The following Alive website article reads:
“One way to understand the differences between joy and happiness is to think about their opposites. While the opposite of happiness is unhappiness, the opposite of joy is fear.
William Blake showed us the dichotomy between opposites. He wrote that two opposing emotions such as fear and joy expand and contract in direct relation to the presence of the other. We cannot feel total joy and total fear at the same time. This is why real joy is the absence of fear. Happiness happens when things go well. Joy on the other hand comes from a swell of emotion within us and sometimes has to be learned.”
If Joy is the absence of fear could it be for that reason when the angels visited Zachariah, Mary; Joseph; and the shepherds the first thing they said was “Do not be afraid”? Because the news followed afterwards would no longer be good news because if they were afraid. During his earth several times Jesus assured his disciples saying “fear not”; After, his death and resurrection the angels told the frightened women don’t be afraid Whenever God appeared to his people in the Bible and even today the first thing he wants to take care of is fear because you can not have fear and trust God at the same time.
The Bible is full of scriptures that say; do not be afraid.
Do we dare to let go of our fears and rejoice that the Savior has come? Or are we like the Presbyterians at a conference in Omaha who were put to a little “Joy test”. People were given helium filled balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt like expressing the joy in their hearts. Since they were Presbyterians, they weren't free to say "Hallelujah, Praise the Lord." All through the service balloons ascended, but when it was over 1/3 of the balloons were unreleased. Let your balloon go! Lift up you head and let your heart sing. Joy to the world the Lord has come… Let earth rejoice his
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