Righteousness

δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynē

Romans 4:3 - "What does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'”

A lot of people wonder how the people of the Old Testament times, prior to Jesus coming to Earth, were able to obtain salvation in order to get to heaven. The simple answer is that they had faith. Just as today we look back to the sacrifice of and work of the Messiah, the Old Testament people in faith looked forward to what the Messiah would do, and they lived their lives and adjusted their behavior according to that faith.

I remember sitting with a student at a retreat and listening as she poured her heart out, weeping and telling me of her frustration over not serving the Lord enough, not scoring enough "brownie points" in order to feel that she had pleased Him enough. Her faith was a true faith, to be sure, but her subsequent Christian walk was based upon working slavishly in order to feel like she measured up to God's pleasure. I was able to assure her that her service was indeed pleasing to God but she didn't need to enter every day with the burden that Jesus was holding a spiritual clipboard and marking whether she did enough to measure up to acceptable Christianity. Abraham did many a great thing, but it was his belief that put him in the category of righteous and gave him a pleasing walk with God.

The Greek word for righteousness is dikaiosynē and means "the condition acceptable to God;a state approved of God."

Revelation 21:1 ...new

οὐρανός ouranos ("heaven")
καινός kainos ("new")
γῆ gē ("earth")

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth..."

This little phrase that starts the 21st chapter of Revelation stuns me every time I read it. John writes that he sees a ge and ouranos that are kainos..."an earth and its heavens that are new." This change of heaven (referring to 'blue sky' and 'cosmos surrounding the earth' ) and earth had been predicted numerous times in the Bible:

Isaiah 65:17 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind."

Psalm 102:25-27 " In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.

2 Peter 3:12 "as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat."

This Greek word for new means fresh, and new in the sense of quality - this will not be a simple remake of earth. In the Isaiah 65 passage the Hebrew word for create ("bara") means "create out of nothing."

This is a whole new creation. I'll take a deeper look at this in future posts.

A grand Christmas day

Yesterday was a fantastic day. Robert and Marlene, Jill's parents, spent the whole day with us along with Nicholas and Alexis. Nicholas has finished up his schooling in Biloxi with the Air Force but must spend a few more weeks there before coming back up to East Tennessee. Peter got a video game which practically cemented him to the screen for the remainder of the day, so we'd see him come up and grab some food, josh with us for a while, and then head back down for his next round of "testing out " the new gift. Jill and her mom kept the kitchen humming with tons of excellent footstuffs, while Robert did most of the gift assembly. I say most - and I meant a lion's share - because I was in a forced sedentary mode due to the remaining effects of the flu. Was it swine flu? No, I didn't have some of the violent symptoms that many people talked about, but it did last the entire week, fatiguing me with almost mono-like weariness. This morning is my first day without massive congestion, and I'm thankful for that.

Julianne spent the day playing with her new additions to her dollhouse while chattering to us about Santa being on the roof on Christmas Eve (it was Peter who climbed up on the roof with a handful of sleigh bells; this is a tradition at the Zockoll household, and it's a wonder nobody's fallen off the house yet.) We had an entertaining evening playing some board games which nearly broke down into non-rules anarchy - also a Zockoll tradition.

It was a very, very good day. We had a busy yet intimate household time of being together in laughter, banter, and consuming food by the platefuls. I do believe this was one of the most enjoyable Christmases I've had - not for the gifts or because there was a high-pitched mania (there wasn't) but because we honestly had a comforting time of fun and family.

P.S. And also because I got a very cool Koine Greek/English Lexicon. Yessssssss.

On this Christmas Eve I praise Him

Thank you, Lord for the many blessings of the year.

Thank you that our home has been a haven for a number of people who needed a place to stay in difficult times.

Thank you for the joy that we have every Sunday night when the college students come over for the Bible study.

Thank you for Jill, who has faced trials this year and has been able to still honor and thank you each day.

Thank you for Peter and his being part of our family. May he see You especially powerful this year.

Thank you for Nicholas and Alexis and the new Christian home they start in their first year of marriage.

Thank you for Julianne and the increasing, honest love she has for You.

Thank you for the hard times I faced this year and the fact that without You I could not have made it. Thank you for Christian friends who were an example of Your love in time of need, who were there to listen and assist. May I learn from that example.

Thank you for healing me in more ways than one, again proving that You indeed are Jehovah Rophe, "Our Lord Who Heals."

Thank you for being in our household, in our car, in our church, in our conversations, in our business decisions, in our times of need and in our times of joy. You truly are Jehovah Shammah, "The Lord is Present."

Thank you for guiding me in decisions I could not have made myself. Thank you for leading me into spiritual matters where I could not find a way. There is no doubt You are Jehovah Rohi, "The Lord is my Shepherd."

Thank you for taking care of us as I continue to write and gather work during these difficult economic times, further showing that You are "Jehovah Jireh, "The Lord who will Provide."

And thank you, thank you for bringing me peace in times that I needed it most, and when I didn't even know that I needed it, reminding me that You are rightly called Jehovah Shalom, "The Lord our Peace."

It's all You, Lord, and all praise and glory goes to You in Your holy domain.

wait it out

Apekdechomai (Phil. 3:20) "eagerly wait for Jesus"...compare our English expression "wait it out"...three words put together:“to receive,” (dechomai) as a welcoming reception for a friend; the word “off,” (apo) the withdrawal of one’s attention from other objects, and the word “out,” (ek) to intensify the already existing meaning of the word.

Lyrics

Little Julie was walking around the house singing "Joy to the World" with great enthusiasm, but I noticed a bit of a change in the lyrics. I walked over to my office door and leaned into the hallway to hear her version:

Joy to the world!

The Lord is come.

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart repair in truth...

She repeated the song at dinner and Jill and I fought to keep from laughing while she sang with great gusto. But then I realized the actual depth of her 'mis-speak' and turned to Jill. "She's actually got it right," I said and Jill smiled, agreeing.

"Repair in truth". In seeing so many souls in anguish and spiritual wandering right now, I feel that a great healing would take place if hurting ones would allow Jesus to "repair their hearts in Truth." We don't need a fight over the title of Christmas in this season. Making a political agenda to Christianize the nation won't do it either. Over-socializing at church is not the answer. It can be as simple as coming to Jesus and letting him "repair our hearts in truth."

Out of the mouths of babes...

We're His children

This is a lean time of the year for my writing. I've been battling it out, running around and getting assignments and writing jobs wherever and whenever I can. Sometimes it gets frustrating, but I can see that many businesses are suffering greatly in this economy. I wonder if Congress will pass a stimulus package for writers? Naaaah.

The joy is in being above the worries of the world. In the midst of all of the lean times, Jesus is still there, taking care of our family.

"huiothesia"... (from huios = son + tithemi = place) literally means "to place one as a son". Huiothesia thus speaks of adoption or being placed in a position and rights as one’s own child. Gal. 4:5, Romans 8:15 .... awwwesome

1 Peter 3:15

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts... (NASB)

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord... (NIV)

but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy... (ESV)

but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord... (RSV)

The Bible scholar Matthew Henry says: "We sanctify the Lord God in our hearts when we with sincerity and fervency adore him, when our thoughts of him are [full of awe] and reverend, when we rely upon his power, trust to his faithfulness, submit to his wisdom, imitate his holiness, and give him the glory due to his most illustrious perfections. We sanctify God before others when our deportment is such as invites and encourages others to glorify and honour him..."

In the midst of all my writing assignments, husband and fatherly duties, teaching work, and other daily responsibilities, I still can have a place in my heart where I can follow 1 Peter 3:15 and sanctify the Lord Jesus... set Him apart... enjoy Him...and this worship and honor is much like the furnace of a building or a ship. It will heat and energize each far-reaching area of my decisions and walk.

NOTES:

The Zockoll family eagerly looks forward to Nicholas and Alexis coming home for Christmas from Biloxi MS where Nicholas is stationed with the Air Force.

Peter's new job at Chik Fil A starts this week and we trust the plentiful hours will help him save up for college this coming year. He's a diligent worker, and can enjoy the scholarship the company gives as well.

Jill is not feeling well... could be the freezing cold front that came in over the weekend. Her fibro myaglia is at its worst in months. Pray that we could get the medical and financial assistance necessary.

Julianne was in the Children's play at church. She was in the Angel Choir. The whole production was fantastic.