The Ohio Independent Baptist, December 1999

, Tb.~ <>I1ic:> I..._d.E-:p~••d.E-:Iat :B:.apti.s.t The Newsletter of the Ohio Association of Regular Baptist Churches Vol. 72 No. 6 • ac1n • 1ves pon "For unto us a Chil d is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon l~ is shoulder. And H is name will be call ed WonderfuL Counselor, Mighty (jod, Everlasti ng Father, Prince of Peace . Of the increase of H is government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom to order it and es tablish it wi th judgment and justi ce from that time forwa rd, even fo rever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform th is" (I saiah 9: 6-7, N l(IV}. n Lhcse two verses, prophecy yet to be fulfiJled, Isaiah pred ict · the coming of a King and a Ki ngdom. It depicts the ful fillment of the covenant with David whose greater Son would ru le forever over both Israel and the whole world ( I I San1uel 7. Psalm 89). ·n11 s prophecy will be fulfi lled in the pcr~on of David' s ultin1ate Son, our Jesus Chrt ) l , at Ht~ con11 ng ! StanJ1ng 111 the shadow of these fai rly ohv1 ou~ thoughts 1~ one which 1s not so obvious: These verses are not onl y a prophecy about tornorrow but a personal pt<Ht11 ~e for us today. Today we can enj<>} a la\ te of wha t I~rael will experi– enL<.: ~hen ("hr1~t rule\ thi s world. We can ha, e our own "1n1ni-n1Jlleniu1n" ~·hi !~ walling for the King to ~c l up H1!) K1 ngdo1n If ... If ' we will place the govcrnn1ent of our li,c'> upon Jf1 ~ shoulder now, l-Ic will becon1e lo us a Wonderfu l Coun~c lor. Wt: need H 1\ c.J 1rec t1on for the confusing Ol!Lisions of ltf c 1; e has pronu !)ed, " I ~ ill instruct you and leach you In the way you should go, I wil l guide you with My eye" (Psaln, 32 8) He 1l:. a wonder of a counselo, to all who ~ubnut to f-lt \ tencJe1 d1 1ccti on. December 1999 overnment o our If we wi ll place the government of our li ves upon Hi, shoulder now, He will become to us the Mighty God . We need Hi s power to cope with the crushing demands of life. At times our energy nag and we go I i,np; at times the stuffi ng get knocked right out of us ! Yet "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no mmghl He increases strength.... But those who wait on the Lord hall renew their ·trength" (I aiah 40:29-30) . In all the ups and down · of his life the Apos tle Pa ul had learned. " I can do all things through Chri st who strengthens me" (Phil. 4 : 13). If we will place the government of our lives upon Hi · shoulde r now, He will become lo us the Ever lasting Father. We need Hi,n for the changing di n1ensions of life. We cannot stop the momen tun1 of the tr ip. Our Ii ves pass along from childhood, through adolescence, to young ad ullhood , on to 1n iddlc adulthood, and then into ~eni or status. We becon1c part ners, then parents, and then grand– parents. Yct in all these changes and rnorc "Jesus Chris t is lhe ~an1c yes terday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:7). He al~o · · ~aid , " I will never leave you nor ror~akc you" (Hebrews J 3:5 ). As the father of eternity He prov ides stabi I It y for the changing scene of our li ve~ . If we wi ll place the go crn- n1ent of our Iivcs upon H1~ l:. houldcr now, I-Jc wi ll hccon1c to u~ the Pr ince of Peace. We need f I 1" peace 111 the c langing din o f ltf c I~1fc '" noi,y nagging unan,wc1cc.l quc1.i t1on, , haurlltng I1H!n1011c", wor r1 c1.i and fear ·. Yet our Lord said, ·'Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world give do I give tu you. Let not your hea rt be troublcc.l , nei ther let it be afraid" (John 14:27). His peace "surpassc al I understanding f and I will guard your heart s and minds' ' (Phi I ippian 4:7 ). Let·s place the governme nt of our Iivc upon Hi · ·houlders ! He kn ows best how to 1nanage all our affa irs; He has onl y our be ·t interest in n1ind. With the hcpherds and wise ,ncn of old . let· s bow the knee to Him. A · the hy1nn ,vntcr put 1t, 0 /10/y C/Jild ofBct/7/e/1em/ Descend to us we pray,· Cc1st out our sin; and enter in,. Be born in us today . vVe /1edr the C/1ristn1as an{!cls tl,c {!rc<1t .Rlad lidi11gs !elf,. , · O con1e lo U£ abide wit/, LIS; our Lord E111111anuc/.