Messages From Heaven: God Becomes Visible!

Messages From Heaven: God Becomes Visible!: “[Christ] is the image of the invisible God” ( Colossians 1:15 ). In Christ, the invisible God became visible. Sometimes I listen to d...

God Becomes Visible!

“[Christ] is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

In Christ, the invisible God became visible.

Sometimes I listen to different preachers on the radio or watch them on television, and I get tremendously frustrated. That’s because so many of them present a confusing picture of who Christ really is. Since there are so many who distort the Christian faith, there should be in every believer a desire to defend it. The apostle Paul certainly had that desire. Since the heretics at Colosse viewed Jesus as a lesser spirit who emanated from God, Paul refutes that with a powerful description of who Jesus really is.
Paul describes Him as “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). The Greek word translated “image” (eikon) means “likeness.” Although man is also the eikon of God (1 Cor. 11:7), he is not a perfect image of God. Humans are made in God’s image in that they have rational personality. Like God, they possess intellect, emotion, and will, by which they are able to think, feel, and choose. We humans are not, however, in God’s image morally: He is holy, and we are sinful. We are also not created in His image essentially, since we do not possess His divine attributes.
Unlike man, Jesus Christ is the perfect, absolutely accurate image of God. He did not become the image of God at the Incarnation but has been that from all eternity. Hebrews 1:3 says Christ “is the radiance of [God’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature.” Christ reflects God’s attributes and is the exact likeness of God. That is why Christ could say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
By using the term eikon, Paul emphasizes that Jesus is both the representation and manifestation of God. He is the full, final, and complete revelation of God. He is God in human flesh. That was His claim (John 8:58), and it is the unanimous testimony of Scripture (cf. Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13). To think anything less of Him is blasphemy and gives evidence of a mind blinded by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4).
Suggestions for Prayer
Thank the Lord for removing your spiritual blindness so that you could “see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4).
For Further Study
According to Romans 8:29, what has God predestined for all believers?

Messages From Heaven: Possessions and Affections!

Messages From Heaven: Possessions and Affections!: Since the beginning of time, people have made excuses. We can trace this behavior all the way to the Garden of Eden, where Adam made the...

Possessions and Affections!

Since the beginning of time, people have made excuses. We can trace this behavior all the way to the Garden of Eden, where Adam made the first known excuse. After Adam sinned, the Lord demanded an explanation. He simply said, "It is the woman You gave me." We're not really sure whether he was blaming the woman, God, or both. But essentially he was saying, "Lord, I was taking a nap, I woke up, I'm a rib short, and she is here. She got me into this trouble. I am not responsible."
Then God turned to Eve and also demanded an explanation. She said, "The serpent beguiled me." A modern translation would be, "The devil made me do it. I bear no responsibility in the matter. He just overcame me."
Luke 14 records a story Jesus told about three men who offered excuses for not attending a wedding feast. Here we find an example of the excuses people make as to why they will not follow God and obey His plan for their lives. But first, we need to understand something about the culture of that day. When a great feast was thrown, it was customary to extend two invitations. The first was given months beforehand. Later, a second invitation would remind guests of their commitment and the host's expectation that they would attend.
This was important, because the feast was given at a considerable expense, with a great deal of time and effort. It was a great honor to be invited. To decline would be considered offensive and could cause an international incident — a legitimate reason to wage war. We need to understand this as we look at the three men who turned down invitations to such a feast. It wasn't that they had other things to do. Rather, they had been invited, had agreed to come, and then made lame excuses at the last minute.
The first said, "I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused" (Luke 14:18 NKJV). In that day, purchasing property was a long and complicated process. This was a ridiculous excuse, because this man would have had many opportunities to examine the land before he bought it. Basically, he allowed his possessions to hold him back.
The next person said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them" (v. 19). Like the one before him, this man was either a complete idiot or a blatant liar. Buying animals without testing them first would be like purchasing a car without test-driving it.
While the first guy was held back by possessions, this man was held back by his career. He would plow a field with those oxen. That's how he would make his living. Pursuing a career isn't wrong, but in this man's case, it kept him back from the Lord.
Let's look at the third and final excuse. "Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come' " (verse 20). He was saying, "I'm married. Life is over. That is it." I am sure he could have pulled a few strings and brought his wife along. Obviously, this too was an excuse.
The first two excuses related to material possessions, while the third had to do with affections. Possessions and affections cover virtually every reason given by men and women who will not put their faith in Christ.
Jesus is offering His kingdom — a perpetual feast of peace, help, guidance, friendship, forgiveness, joy, certainty in the midst of uncertainty, and the hope of heaven. Yet people turn their backs on this, preferring a visit with their possessions or affections instead.
This parable isn't a put-down of things and relationships. What it is simply saying is this: If good things keep you from enjoying the best things, then they become bad things. They are shallow excuses people hide behind.
To go back to the original context of this parable, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, essentially saying, "You had an engraved invitation to God's wedding feast, but because you have so missed the point, you are not going to get in."
Maybe excuses have kept you from coming to Jesus. In reality, it's an issue of what you will or will not do. My prayer is that you will come to Him today.

Messages From Heaven: Make Room for Jesus This Christmas!

Messages From Heaven: Make Room for Jesus This Christmas!: Have you ever had one of those birthdays when you wanted people to throw a party for you? You wanted them to buy some nice gifts. You h...

Make Room for Jesus This Christmas!

Have you ever had one of those birthdays when you wanted people to throw a party for you?
You wanted them to buy some nice gifts. You hinted at what gifts you wanted and even left maps to the places where you wanted them to shop. You were hoping someone would get the idea of throwing you a surprise party. You were certain that every time you went out to dinner with a friend that people were going to jump out and yell, “Happy Birthday!” You were looking forward to it with great excitement. But nothing happened. The party never took place. In fact, it seemed like people forgot your birthday. Or worse yet, they remembered it but failed to acknowledge it.
Christmas is a Birthday.
In theory, that is what Christmas can be like. It is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. In contrast to your birthday or mine, everyone recognizes it. Everywhere we go there are reminders that Christmas is coming. Merchants want you to shop till you drop and spend money. Shoppers, in turn, can get psycho about getting good deals.
The Reason for the Season.
We all need to just relax a little bit and remember what this season is about: it is the time when we celebrate Jesus’ birth. In the midst of our activities and preparations to celebrate Christmas, how often do we forget about the honored guest? We string our lights. We trim our trees. We talk about Christmas. We hear recorded songs mentioning the birth of Jesus. But how many people actually take time for Him? We run around the malls and buy things for everyone we know—and even some people we wish we didn’t know. But we can forget to make room in our schedules for Jesus.
Make Room for Jesus.
The fact there was no room for Jesus at the inn that first Christmas was indicative of the treatment that He would receive throughout His entire earthly ministry. One telling passage is found for us in John’s Gospel, where it says, “And everyone went to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives” (John 7:53–8:1 NKJV). Everyone went home for the night, but Jesus went to sleep out in the open air on the Mount of Olives.
There was never room for Jesus. And today, there is just no room for Him in so many situations. Is there room for Jesus in your life right now? This Christmas, as we prepare to start a new year with new opportunities, will you make room in your life for Him?