“THERE IS NONE ELSE”
by Pastor Robert McCurry, ©2013, The Wake-Up Herald
When the news of Jesus’s birth was widely announced, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem and enquired, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and “he gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together and demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matt 2:1-6).
It is significant that ‘Jesus’, ‘King’, and ‘Christ’ are all used in these few scriptures in reference to the Incarnation, virgin birth of Christ, God with us.
Herod then privately commissioned the wise men to “Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found Him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also”; for two years “the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-11).
The wise men, “Being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men” (Matt 2:12, 16).
Herod failed in his attempt to kill Jesus as a child, but thirty-three years later a hostile mob cried, “crucify Him, crucify Him”; Herod’s posterity physically brutalized Jesus, nailed Him to a Roman cross where He died like a common criminal; after three days in the grave, He arose from the dead and after two-thousand years He continues to live; His life has been infused into the lives of countless millions of others; many of these have been persecuted, prosecuted, and martyred for believing in Jesus and for their Christian faith and obedience.
Christian martyrdom is not permitted in America—yet. But Herod’s posterity lives on to eradicate the biblical Jesus from the culture by offering a counterfeit ‘Jesus’; there are false preachers who come in sheep’s clothing and proclaim ‘another Jesus, another Gospel, and another spirit’ (II Cor 11:4).
‘Another Jesus’ is a ‘Jesus’ with a human father; ‘another Jesus’ is a ‘Jesus’ who is not God; ‘another Jesus’ is a popular ‘Jesus’ who is acceptable to the masses; ‘another Jesus’ is a ‘Jesus’ who everybody loves; ‘another Jesus’ is a ‘Jesus’ who is not sovereign; ‘another Jesus’ is a magical name that gives credence and respectability to anything and everything.
‘Another gospel’ is a popular ‘gospel’; an ‘easy-believeism’ ‘gospel’; a compromising gospel; a people-pleasing gospel.
‘Another spirit’ is a hedonist spirit; entertainment spirit; mammon spirit; materialism spirit.
The Lord Jesus said:
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).
There is ‘true worship’; there is also ‘vain worship’ (Matt 15:9) and ‘ignorant worship’ (Acts 17:23); not ever one that says ‘Lord, Lord” is a Christian (Matt 7:21-23).
True worship: “Acknowledging that God is greater – worth more – and by consequence, to be obeyed, feared, and adored…Worship is the sign that in giving myself completely to God, I want to be mastered by Him.” (Harold Best)
“Worship is the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does.” (Warren Wiersbe, Real Worship, p. 26)
Jesus Christ is God.
“There is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isa 45:21-22).
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour” (Isa 43:10-11).
Let those who know Christ as personal Lord and Savior exclaim every day of the year,
“O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth” (Isa 25:1).
Christ is altogether lovely! He is the Rose of Sharon! He is the Lily of the Valley! He is the Bright and Morning Star! His name is Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace.
Let us adore, worship and celebrate
the ever living Christ
365 days of the year!
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The Wake-Up Herald is published by Robert McCurry. The publication is designed to exalt the true God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ, and inform, inspire, and challenge its readers regarding biblical truth and real-life issues. The contents are the sole responsibility of Robert McCurry and do not represent or speak for or on behalf of any other person or group. There is no subscription charge. The publication is a ministry of faith dependent on the contributions of its readers. Contributions are not tax-deductible. Send all correspondence to: Robert McCurry, 605 Moore Rd, Newnan, GA 30263 or herbap@aol.com
Thank you, “Pastor” McCurry, what a privilege to address you as Pastor. Your church is truly blessed to have you. You obviously are feeding Jesus’ sheep that he has entrusted to your care… for now.
I agree: “Let us adore, worship and celebrate the ever living Christ 365 days of the year!” I pray it will be so.
St. John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent.
God Bless