The CHRISTMAS GIFT of PEACE DECLINED

By James J. Fire

LUKE 2:1-5
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:). To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

The Nativity of the Son of God

And so began this marvelous journey, a holy pilgrimage, not to a holy place, but rather accompanying the holy Child within the womb of the virgin, Mary the espoused to Joseph, both descendants of King David, of the House of Judah.
Look at a map and you will find Nazareth in northern Israel in far away Galilee; from here this blessed couple made their arduous and painfully slow voyage all the way to Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem.

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A Study in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans – “On the Road of Righteousness” Chapter Seven:

~  By James Fire

Chapter Seven: An ‘Illegal’ Bride –In medieval courts and Roman Catholic tribunals of that day, sometimes the practice of exhuming a corpse would be enacted for the purpose of trying them in said courts and tribunals with the intent of convicting them of crimes post-mortem, and then sentencing punitive actions upon them. If such a practice wasn’t such a travesty, it would almost be comedic!

However, here in vs. 1 of this Chapter in Romans, we read Paul’s words about how the Law has no dominion over the dead; their life is over and the appointment with death is met and followed by the judgment (HEB 9:27):

ROMANS 7:1
Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

At such a point, the Law no longer holds sway over the departed in the sense of enlightening a person to their own sinful state for the intent of revealing their need for repentance; rather it is used for the sake of prosecution and condemnation in judgment in the realm of ‘eternity future’. Once dead, the remedial influence of the Law is no longer valid; likewise Paul uses the analogy of marriage to demonstrate this point:
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THE GIVING of THANKS - HONORING GOD IN SUCH

~ By James J. Fire 

THANKSGIVING is the favorite holiday of choice among many Bible believers and disciples of Jesus Christ. It’s the one that has apparently been untainted by the customs and mythic beliefs of this world. 

Christmas (the observance of the birth of Christ at any rate) is tainted with Santa Claus, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, and materialism in the world of commerce to your home. 

Easter (barring the pagan name – I prefer to call it Blessed Resurrection Day myself) is about the resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ from the dead, and yet here too we have such things as Easter Baskets, the Easter Bunny, etc. and so forth. 

Thanksgiving is at least in form, untouched; true, people partake of food in such quantities as to be considered gluttonous; but the idea of thankfulness is present. The world just doesn’t seem to know to Whom they’re to express their thanks (themselves and their own industry maybe?) – or if they offer thanks, it’s to some generic concept of ‘God’. 

For the believer however, thanksgiving is not just one day of the year to observe; rather it’s a heart attitude to maintain every day, and if one wills, to make a special observance of such on this last Thursday of November. 

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A Study in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans – “On the Road of Righteousness” Chapter Six:

 ~ By James Fire

Chapter Six: Dead Man Walking – Alive by God’s Spirit

In the closing verses of Chapter Five of this Pauline epistle, we read about how “sin reigned unto death” and how that “the law entered that the offence [of sin] might abound”. We also examined, and with great joy, that just as “sin reigned unto death” so would “grace reign through righteousness” and that “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”.

Because of the Law, sin abounded, but because of the atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross, our sin-bearer not only provided His grace, but that this grace abounds even more so than the sin-revealing Law that would condemn us.

Chapter Eight expounds on how there is no longer any condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, and here in Chapter Six we will begin to examine how that salvation is not just positional, but practical. What do I mean by this?

Perpetual Practice vs. Perfect Position

Put simply, since the day that each of us has received the Gospel via repentance and received Jesus Christ as LORD and SAVIOR by faith, we have been washed clean of our sins and stand before our Holy God as pure and sinless as the LORD Jesus Himself, Who has granted to us His Holy Spirit as well as His flawless righteousness...

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A Study in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans – “On the Road of Righteousness” Chapter Five:

~ By James Fire

Chapter Five: The FAITH, HOPE and LOVE in the REIGN of Grace as found in Romans Five

It’s long been said that when you encounter a “therefore” (or even a “wherefore”) in the Scriptures, you have to find out what it’s ‘there for’; in other words, these two words are transitive. They relate a previous thought with the one that follows and that is the case here in Romans chapter Five. Let’s back up a bit and review the last couple of verses in chapter Four:

ROMANS 4:22-25
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Because Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God” (vs. 20) it was “imputed to him for righteousness” (vs. 22). This imputed righteousness means that the LORD God, by propitiation and atonement by the blood of Christ Jesus (ROM 3:25) and His resurrection (ROM 4:25) has justified us, and because of this justification “therefore… we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ”.

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A Study in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans – “On the Road of Righteousness” Chapter Four:

~  By James Fire

Chapter Four: Justifying the Ungodly and Imputing Righteousness by Faith –

I’ve been most eager to begin this particular chapter, because, as you know (if you read the previous study) this is the portion of scripture (vs. 1-5) that the LORD used to lead me to salvation back in June of 1980. Obviously then, this passage is very dear to my heart.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to read my testimony, here is a link provided for you FROM the MIND of FIRE: CAN I GET A WITNESS?

Suffice it to say, in my ‘B.C.’ days, I was very much intent on learning what my purpose in life was, and at the same time ‘plagued’ with the question: How a person such as I, could ever possibly be considered righteous before the Holy and Awesome God?
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