The Creator Incarnate

The incarnation of Christ is the mystery of all mysteries.

Christ was one with the Father, yet … He was willing to step down from the exaltation of one who was equal with God.

That He might accomplish His purpose of love for the fallen race, He became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh.

How wide is the contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethlehem’s manger! How can we span the distance between the mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of worlds, He in whom was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and humanity were mysteriously combined, and man and God became one.

It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.

Those who claim that it was not possible for Christ to sin, cannot believe that He really took upon Himself human nature. But was not Christ actually tempted, not only by Satan in the wilderness, but all through His life, from childhood to manhood?

Our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured.
The Faith I Live By p. 48
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Prayer Requests
—–Urgent prayer needed emergency pray for a man named Brian the devil is up to something to destroy him and I fear that he’s going to do him self harm please pray prayer warriors this is urgent. Cathy
—–Please pray for Eileen that God will heal her back. Rose
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Dear Friends,
The following was written by Elaine Enneking to help those suffering with chronic pain. I found it when I was going through some old documents on my computer and thought I would share it with you.
Rose

Helpful Ideas for Those Who Are Suffering Pain

Here are some ideas I’ve gleaned from my own study and experiences with chronic pain. I trust you will find them helpful too.

~Find meaning or purpose in your pain. Think of pain as a gift from God to alert you to an underlying cause. It’s a warning sign to help you avoid more dangerous consequences. Thank God for it.

He has promised in
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Seek out the cause (pray, go to the doctor, etc.)
Pray about the meaning or purpose of your suffering.
Is God trying to slow you down to spend more time with Him?
Is He trying to put you in contact with someone you have not yet met?
Is He blessing you with the fellowship of His sufferings to perfect your character?
Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Is He trying to develop in you compassion for others?
~Let the pain be a reminder for you to stop and pray for others in pain.
Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
~Keep a journal of how God is using this situation to help you grow. Include Bible verses along with descriptions of your experiences.
~Keep a journal of ideas, thoughts, poems, quotations, etc. to refer to at times of special need or when trying to help someone else.
~Live as healthfully as you can, following the 8 Laws of Health. See www.amazingdiscoveries.org/8healthlaws.htm.
~Never lose sight of hope. Find it in the Scriptures and in prayer. Build it into your thoughts.
Your thoughts determine your feelings and your character. Keep God and hope in Him in all your thoughts.
~Memorize Scripture verses. Use the King James Version. It is most accurate, most poetic and easiest to memorize from. See www.avpublications.com.
To get started with scripture memory here are some ideas I have found helpful:

Choose 3 verses that are so familiar to you you’ve probably already memorized them.

Use cards 2″ x3″ [you can cut them from index cards or buy them blank already cut].

Write the reference on one side of the card. Turn the card over [preferrably like a tablet, not a book page] for easier use. Write the verse on this side.

Keep the cards in a business card folder or ziplock bag to carry with you.

Pray that God will help you learn and understand, apply and share the verses. He will.

When rehearsing the verse always say aloud [or in your mind–practice both ways] reference, verse, reference. This way you’re getting twice as much practice on the reference. It’s important to know the reference for sharing and for Bible study. Some recommend learning a topic with the verse. To me that’s extra work. I prefer to let my brain and the Holy Spirt categorize them under many different topics.

Practice during what would otherwise be wasted moments of your day.

Always practice in the morning and before going to bed.

Write out the verses from memory weekly to be sure you’re learning them word perfect. King James Version is easiest to memorize from and is much more accurate.

Practice new verses at least daily for 7 weeks.

Then if comfortable put in another packet to review weekly [7 weeks], then monthly [7weeks], then quarterly and yearly.

If later you have difficulty with a particular verse move it back to the daily review packet to progress at its own rate.

Continue adding 1 to 3 verses/ week to your daily packet.

Always add your new verses [references or references and verses] to a notebook in case your cards should get lost.

If you have a cassette tape recorder it helps if you can record your verses–reference-pause long enough to say verse in your mind-verse-reference. Do this 3 times for each verse.

Weekly at least look up verse in your Bible to fix it in your visual memory, see and understand it in context, check for accuracy.

If there are verses you would like to learn, write them on cards to read often. This increases familiarity and makes them easier to learn later.

Never become discouraged. God’s Word will not return unto Him void. Isaiah 55:
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
He will bless your efforts.

A good book, You Need to Memorize Scripture by N.A. Woychuk from Christian Memory Fellowship is available for purchase at www.amazingfacts.org.

A good website geared to helping you memorize Scripture is www.fast.st.
~Meditate on verses that help you cope and bring you hope such as:
Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
~Listen to classical music, even if you don’t like it. You will come to enjoy it. It influences the frontal lobe of your brain (where you think, reason, remember and communicate (2-way) with God )in a positive manner. It decreases pain and depression. Other kinds of music do not do this and some kinds will negatively influence your frontal lobe, intelligence, memory and relationship with God. See Depression the Way Out by Dr. Neil Nedley and www.nedleypublishing.com.
~ Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Sing and praise God in your heart.
~Trust God with the outcome and with His presence.
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end ( a hoped-for outcome).
YOU ARE HIS
by Elaine Enneking

July 4, 2005

When you ride the waves of pain
Picture Jesus saying,
“Peace, be still.”

When you think you can’t go on
Know He’s with you:
He is strong.

In His arms of love He’ll bear you
And let nothing ever tear you
From His heart.

You are His, be still and know
That He’ll always love you so.
You are His.