Are you a Christmas Light?

During this time of year, people are decorating their homes with Christmas lights. If you stop and think about it, God is doing the very same thing. God has decorated our entire world with lights. In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his listeners, “You are the light of the world” – Matthew 5:14.

I like to think about all those I know who have been changed into “the light of the world.” One friend of mine supports an orphanage in South America. Another volunteers several hours everyday on a suicide prevention hotline getting help for those in great despair. Another volunteered as a prison chaplain on weekends visiting with prisoners when no one else would come. Another is a kidney donor who saved another person’s life. Another provided and cooked over two million free meals for the homeless. Another has an autistic child that they care for every day. Another worked with the mentally ill and helped them recover their sanity. Another is a disaster relief volunteer who provides essentials for the victims of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes throughout the USA. Another convinced drug dealers to turn in their guns and found them jobs so that they could lead normal lives.

I hope you are also “the light of the world” and God is using you to bring light to the lives of those who otherwise would be in darkness. I’m hoping your light will shine forever beside the tree of life!

Merry Christmas,

Dr. J. Clontz  - Editor, The Comprehensive New Testament

Photo By Michael Sander

Is Water Baptism Necessary for Salvation?

After Paul was identified as a chosen instrument - he was told to be baptized. Similarly, after God sent an angel to Cornelius he was ordered to be baptized. Both Paul and Cornelius had obviously already been called by God. However, even though they were already called by God they were still ordered to be baptized. Paul was specifically told to be baptized to wash away his sins. Additionally, 1Peter 3:20-22 states that “baptism now saves you” – “20…when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels and authorities and powers subject to him.”

1.     After Paul had his event on the road to Damascus while he was still blind Jesus told him to enter the city and he would be told what he must do. A man named Ananias was visited by Jesus in a vision and he was told to go to Paul. According to Acts 9:15 Jesus told Ananias that Paul was his chosen instrument. According to Acts 9:18 and Acts 22:14-16 Ananias baptized Paul. Look closely at Acts 22:14-16, Paul was told by Ananias the following:

Acts 22:14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

If Paul who was already a chosen instrument according (Acts 9:15) was baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 9:18), then the rest of us should do likewise. The point is that even though Paul was already chosen his next step was to be baptized. Remember Jesus told him that he would be told what he must do – Acts 9:6 “and Ananias told him to get up and be baptized.”

2.     Cornelius saw an angel who told him to send for Simon Peter – Acts 10:1-5. In Acts 10:48 Peter ordered everyone at Cornelius’ house to be baptized.

Paul, Cornelius and many others are hoping to see you in Heaven!

Scripture citations from “The Comprehensive New Testament.”

Dr. J. Clontz

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

When Jesus talks about your eyes being good or evil (Matthew 6:22-23), he is talking about whether you are generous or stingy when it comes to charity. The darkest hours are when people don’t have food to eat, proper clothing or medicine. God told Abraham (Genesis 22:17) that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of heaven. Just as the stars of heaven shine brightest in the darkest night –the generosity of the spiritual descendants of Abraham shine brightest when they help those in need who have the least hope.

Hopefully, the darkness will never overcome your light and you will shine brightly forever in the kingdom of Heaven!

Dr. J. Clontz – The Words of Jesus

Matthew 6:22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. So if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! [Comprehensive New Testament]

Genesis 22:17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven.

Born again

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - John 3:3

A person who has been born again can see the kingdom of God. You have been turned from darkness to light – Acts 26:16-18. You are no longer part of the darkness. You are part of the light. You are changed from stinginess to generosity. All of us are called to change. 

Hoping to see the new you in the Kingdom of God,

J. Clontz – “The Words of Jesus”

April 4

 "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and enter his glory?" - Luke 24:25-26

The two men on the road to Emmaus didn’t believe all that the prophets had spoken. Specifically, they didn’t believe that the Christ had to suffer. The apostle Peter expressed similar feelings earlier in the ministry:

Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

The Christ came to defeat the formerly invincible enemy of humanity – death. He fought his battle with death on the cross and in the tomb. He emerged victorious where all others before him had failed.

 

Biblical text from “The Words of Jesus.”

Did you Know that the Kiss of Betrayal by Judas is Foreshadowed in the Old Testament?

As we all know, Judas plotted to kill Jesus. However, you may not have realized that the actions of Judas in the Gospels to kill Jesus mirror the actions of Esau in Genesis to kill his brother. Below is an excerpt from the book, “Typology: The New Testament According to the Old Testament Prophets.”

Judas would accept a bribe involving thirty monetary units in exchange for the life of Jesus. ^JA87 Judas would know where to find Him.^JA79 Jesus would become distressed and divide His group into two groups as the band of soldiers was on its way led by Judas.^JA80 Jesus would go away briefly from His followers but would be determined not to leave His followers orphaned.^JA81 He would be alone while awaiting capture before facing Judas who wanted to kill Him.^JA82 Jesus would pray for possible deliverance.^JA83 An angel would appear to Him and He would be in agony while the band of soldiers approached led by Judas.^JA84 He would be met by a crowd led by Judas.^JA85 Jesus would be greeted with a kiss by Judas.^JA86 Simon Peter would attack someone with a sword.^JA88 After Simon Peter struck someone with the sword in an area full of Pharisees and priests, Jesus would upbraid Simon Peter concerning the futility of the sword and that the sword leads to destruction.^JA89 Judas would be “lost” - his destined dwelling place would be away from the fatness of the earth and away from the dew of heaven.^JA91

JA79. Genesis 32:6 / John 18:2

JA80. Genesis 32:7 / Mark 14:32

JA81. Genesis 32:24-33:3 / John 14:18

JA82. Genesis 32:24 / Mark 14:50, Luke 22:41

JA83. Genesis 32:9-12 / Matthew 26:39

JA84. Genesis 32:24-30 / Luke 22:43

JA85. Genesis 33:1 / Matthew 26:47

JA86. Genesis 33:4 / Matthew 26:48-49

JA87. Genesis 32:15 / Matthew 26:14-16

JA88. Genesis 34:25 / Luke 22:10

JA89. Genesis 34:30 / Luke 22:11

In Genesis 34:30 the inhabitants of the land are the Perizzites and the Canaanites. In Hebrew the word for Perizzites is pronounced “Per-iz-zee” which is virtually a homonym for the word “Pharisee.” In Hebrew the word for “Canaanites” is pronounced Ken-ah-an-ee. This is similar to the Hebrew word for “priesthood” – “Kehunnah.” 

JA91. Genesis 27:39 / John 17:12

March 26

 "No more of this!" - Luke 22:51

"Put your sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen in this way?" - Matthew 26:52-54

"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." - Luke 22:52-53

“But all this has taken place, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." - Matthew 26:56

From "365 Days with Jesus"