Volume 16 Issue 12 - December 2001 THE GLORIOUS INCARNATION "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1,14) Though raised in an atheistic environment as a child, I can still remember the thrill and child-like awe that filled my heart every Christmas. There was always a sense of great expectation, a nerve-wracking anticipation for that magical day called Christmas to finally come to our pagan household. Jesus was not known nor mentioned as the reason for the season. In spite of this glaring absence of truth, I still knew beyond the hype of commercialism that Christmas held a special meaning in this life. People just seemed to act differently during the holiday season. Either their joy levels were enhanced or they seemed to plunge into despair, isolation, and alienation. One thing was certain, Christmas was not a neutral zone emotionally nor spiritually. It wasn’t until years later that the revelation of Christmas finally dawned upon my darkened soul. Its brilliance burst forth and shattered the tarnished, cheap, glitter that was a poor substitute for the One who was Life, and the only Life that remains the Light of men (John 1:4). The impact has remained with me to this day. It has transformed my heart, my family, and the call to ministry. It has also quickened within me the awe I once knew as a child. Except now, it is mine as an adult and is according to the truth, and not the concoction of a world system void of it. "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: And the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God. the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) Oddly, the world system acknowledges Christ was born in history. Unfortunately, the world in its "wisdom" then foolishly turns around and ignores or denies the awesome significance of that blessed birth. (On a side note, even Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, and yet ignore its meaning as it relates to the salvation of their deceived souls). The unregenerated seek to distance themselves from all the ramifications of Christmas and its impact upon this poor, fallen world. They go to great lengths to replace the glorious Incarnation with sentimental fairy tales. You know the ones, Santa Clause, Frosty the Snow Man, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, just to name a few. Thus purposely or inadvertently, they seek to diminish Jesus' glory, deity, and Lordship over all the earth. Though appearing as an innocent distraction, it camouflages a deadly course. One which has produced dire consequences and inevitably leads mankind to spiritual, moral, and physical ruin. It attempts to shroud the true Light with a false holiday glitter that results in darkness. It’s a course that forfeits the blessing, salvation, and grace of God that could be ours, if we would just humble ourselves and acknowledge the truth. It’s a course that keeps men’s lives contented with idolatry, religious emptiness, and vain philosophies that can never truly satisfy. The only possible exception being the satisfaction of puffing up our already inflated pride, a sinful pride that seeks to devalue God and exalt ourselves and our lusts instead. Perhaps this can account for the incessant push to remove Christ from Christmas. Satan, sin, and this illegitimate world system never cease to try and expunge the knowledge of God from the souls of men nor the public life of a nation.. Just a cursory view of the current state of affairs in America can testify to this ungodly agenda. The deadly trio has successfully conspired in various ways to remove the knowledge of the true God from our schools, government, and culture at large. Therefore, is it any wonder that our modern age seems quite content to replace Christmas with Xmas? Isn’t it vogue now to substitute this blessed Holy Day with the innocuous winter holidays label? There is only one problem however with this wicked scheme of seeking to rob God of His glory, purpose, and will. It shall not be triumphant in time and history. They may as well seek to capture and imprison the wind. For surely the Holy Seed that was sown in Mary’s womb 2000 years ago that grew into the God/Man, Jesus Christ, who ushered in the long awaited Kingdom, and established the Church is destined to "break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44)." In fact, the famous Christmas Scripture that is highlighted above in Isaiah 9:6 goes on to proclaim, "Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:7)." The timing of this prophecy is essential to understand the significance of Christmas, the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the future of the world. For once the Kingdom comes and God’s government is established, there is no stopping it. It will conquer and is conquering. No matter what opposition it faces, it will break in pieces every one of the world’s hammers, be it religious or secular hammers, upon the anvil of God’s revelation, Kingdom and Church. It is clear from Holy Writ, this process all began, when the Child was born and the Son was given. It all began at Christmas. So, despite all the darkness that covers the world and much of the Church, the vision and mission of Christmas will not fail. The zeal, not of the Church or a few committed Christians, but the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform it. Christmas is the wonderful time of Advent. Advent simply means the glory of the coming of the Lord. It reveals the dawning of God’s salvation light to a lost and darkened world. It signals the fulfillment of many glorious prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the birth of Messiah. It unfolds what had been hidden in times past. It announces from the roof tops that Immanuel is finally here, God is actually with us and is among us. The Word was made flesh. It breaks forth the divine into human history. It introduces the supernatural into the natural, in the highest possible order. It sings from the heavens that the King is born, His kingdom has invaded the earth and the world will never be the same again. It makes the invisible God visible through the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And for our purposes today, Christmas always represents a faith that senses something great from heaven is coming that will manifest itself in the earth. It goes without saying that Christmas is also a sacred time that celebrates the greatest birthday ever. Contained within that statement however is a revelation that is not only near and dear to my heart, but to God’s heart as well. For Jesus’ birth not only points to His miraculous entrance into this world, but it also affirms the sacredness of life, particularly the life in the womb. Almighty God humbled Himself and clothed Himself in a tent of human flesh. Jesus was once an embryo, a fetus, and a baby in the womb. Though His conception was supernatural, everything else concerning His development as a baby went according to nature. Thus He completely identifies with every person conceived and born of a woman in the history of the world. It is important at this juncture to determine the beginning of Christmas and Jesus’ personal history upon this planet. It did not commence when He was born of a virgin (Luke 1:35). To begin there, gives credence to those who believe a baby in the womb is not a baby worthy of protection until it draws its first breath outside of the womb. The truth is, Jesus began His earthly pilgrimage when He was conceived by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:31). It was at conception where the famous kenosis or "emptying" of Christ started. This "emptying" of course, did not divest Jesus of His deity, but He voluntarily restricted His precarnate glory and prerogatives as God in order to humbly fulfill His Father’s will on earth. The bottom line is, all of Christ’s deity and humanity were fully present at conception. To teach otherwise gives religious covering to the abortion industry that is worthy of damnation, lest they repent. Along these lines, no Christmas sermon would be complete, lest we included the slaughter of the innocent. We must remember that it was the advent of Christmas that drew the murderous dragon, Satan, from his lair (Revelation 12:1-5). It was the birth of the true King that provoked the jealous rage of Herod, a demonically inspired tyrant. Herod was so filled with fury at the news of Jesus’ birth that he issued the fatal decree that massacred the infants at Bethlehem. Thus fulfilling the Scripture in Jeremiah 31:15, "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they were no more." Jesus’ birth provoked, disturbed, and exposed both the spiritual and civil realms. Both entities that were ruled by darkness were put on notice at Christ’s first coming, "There is a new Sheriff in town." In retaliation, these partners in oppression raised their ugly heads and mercilessly destroyed tiny defenseless babies. After 2000 years since Jesus was born, the dragon and his sometime willing dupe, civil government, still conspire to slaughter the innocent. In America, this hellish league struts about slaying the unborn in such numbers that Hitler himself would blush in embarrassment. Yet in the midst of this tragedy of monstrous proportions, there is still to be found the hope of Christmas. Isaiah 28:16,18 "Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation...Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with hell will not stand." MERRY CHRISTMAS! It was Athanasius who stood contra mundum (against the world) in the 4th century. At stake was the revelation of the Incarnation. There were those who taught Jesus was a special spirit sent by God and was not a man. There were those who taught Jesus was a special man, but denied His deity. Athanasius condemned them both and stood on the fact that Jesus was fully human and fully God in one person without denying either. -Rusty JEREMIAH "FLIP" THOMAS "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate." (Psalm 127:3-5) By the time you receive this newsletter, there is a strong possibility that our ninth child may have been born. Liz is in the last stage of the pregnancy and has shifted into the nesting mode. The family is preparing to receive another arrow into the Thomas quiver. Our hearts our enlarged and we are seeking God for a safe and healthy delivery. The Bible teaches that children are a blessing from the Lord. According to that standard Liz and I are blessed indeed. We may not be rich according to this world, but in the stuff of life and in eternal matters, we are certainly wealthy. I once preached a message called, "Children, the least favorite blessing of the Christian." It was an indictment against the Church of Jesus Christ for buying into the Spirit of the Age that has totally disregarded the Biblical admonishment concerning children. Many believe contrary to Scripture that the least amount of children is the blessing and a big family is the curse. This concept is foreign to Biblical Christianity. Biblically, being barren was considered the curse and a fruitful womb a sign of God’s favor upon one’s life. We pray through our writings, ministry, and life example that many will reach the same conclusion and return to God’s revelation concerning a quiver full of blessings that will rise up to possess the gates of their enemies. WHITEFIELD COLLEGE "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." (Proverbs 1:7a) A month or so ago, Flip Benham called me with a most unusual and unexpected request. He asked if I’d be willing to enroll in a distance program and return to college to earn a Master’s Degree in Christian Studies. After I revived from the initial shock from such a request, Flip went on to challenge me on the importance of pursuing such a course. Quite frankly, as we talked all my objections seemed to disappear as it became apparent that the Lord was using Flip to stretch me once again for further service in His Kingdom. Obviously, with out ninth child due any moment and all the increased ministry responsibilities both locally and nationally, I need to pursue a higher course of learning like I need a hole in the head. But as I stated to Flip, if this pursuit will further God’s vision and mission for us and the movement then I’m willing to subject myself to the rigors of a quality Christian education. Today, I received the notice that I was accepted by the college. I plan on starting my initial class the beginning of the new year. It costs about $3,000, plus the costs of the books to earn the Master’s Degree. The cost is most decent considering Whitefield is a prestigious college known for its high standards in Christian education. If anyone would like to sponsor me and grant a scholarship, it would be a great blessing. This is an added expense to our already tight budget, but one I know the Lord has directed me to undertake. I’m counting upon His grace and provision to be there to meet the added expenses, as well as the grace to study, learn, and perform with a spirit of excellence. Please pray for me, for I will certainly need it as I juggle an already full plate of duties and responsibilities. The following statements will give you an inkling of the vision and mission of Whitefield Theological Seminary. WTS teaches that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, a true Christian education is founded upon the teachings of God’s word. WTS teaches all subjects from a biblical perspective, in order to offer an exclusively Christian approach to education. WTS’s educational objectives are to give the student a foundational and in-depth understanding of God’s word (its meaning and principles), so that he will better understand God’s world and be able to carry out the cultural mandate in the book of Genesis. The student will develop an increasing dedication to Jesus Christ and to the building of the Kingdom of God, and will develop a standard of ethics which is consistent with the Holy Scriptures. A GIFT FOR DADDY "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5,6). We are in the last stages of rehearsal for our Church’s Christmas production, "A Gift For Daddy." We want to extend an invitation to those in the Waco area to come and experience this holiday treat. It is a simple production, but that is the secret of its power. We are trusting the Lord for marriages to be strengthened, families touched, and for souls to be saved. Take advantage of this play to bring with you those who could benefit from this Gospel presentation. The performance is at Church on the Rock, 4720 N. 19th St. at 10 am on Sunday, December 16th, 2001. Please mark your calendar and come. Flip Benham, the national director of Operation Save America, will be our special guest. He is coming to dedicate his name sake, Jeremiah "Flip" Thomas to the Lord. It should be a glorious time together. 2002 BIBLE READING SCHEDULE "...my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge...you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children." (Hosea 4:6) Merry Christmas from the Thomas Nation, Elijah Ministries, and Operation Save America. The mailing out of the Bible reading schedule has become a Christmas tradition. Obviously, in light of Hosea 4:6, a very important tradition indeed. To help inspire you to take advantage of the reading schedule, I’ve included my remarks to every Kingdom Leadership Institute candidate on the crucial role of a systematic study of Scripture. Systematic Study of the Scriptures: One of the main goals of KLI is Reformation, not just Revival. Therefore the discipline of reading through the Bible each year is absolutely vital in restoring the Biblical Worldview that this modern age has discarded to our own demise. The loss of a Biblical Worldview and sound doctrine cannot be underestimated. It has produced a Church that is addicted to a "feel good religion" that emphasizes the presence of God but seems incapable to contend for the faith in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. KLI candidates are challenged with this important concept: a Biblically illiterate Church always dilutes the Church’s mission, corrupts the culture, strengthens the oppressors, and victimizes the weak. You cannot have a corrupt, oppressive State without an apostate Church who has veered from the truths of God’s Word. The two walk hand in hand and must be changed in order for the Church to be reformed and our nation restored to the God of our Fathers, the covenant, and the godly principles that made our nation blessed of the Almighty. Therefore, the first commitment every candidate of KLI must make is a lifetime systematic study of Holy Scripture. We supply either a hard copy of a Bible Reading Schedule or have the schedule posted on our web site. The righteous goal is to introduce young people to the full council of God, His divine characteristics, His manifold attributes, and His clear teachings and dealings in the affairs of men. It is a practice that we pray will not only be instilled in the life of every KLI candidate, but that they in turn will pass it on to their children until a thousand generations to those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purposes. 2002 ITINERARY "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister." (Hebrew 6:10) 2002 should prove to be one of the busiest years of service for our King that we have experienced in the last twenty years of ministry. By God’s grace, we are setting our hands to the plow of God’s Kingdom and we will not look back. Already invitations are coming in to preach throughout the nation and we are so grateful for the opportunities. We have a Kingdom Leadership Institute seminar scheduled in California for Spring Break. Other cities, like Chicago and St.Louis are also interested in hosting a KLI this year. Rachel’s Park Memorial is slowly but surely coming to pass. We are currently working on the first phase. The entrance way, the pathway to the circle, and the laying of the Memorial Stone. The Memorial Stone has just been ordered and preparations are being made to pour the cement for the circle. Our goal is to have this phase completed by January, 22nd, 2002, the 29th anniversary of the infamous Roe vs. Wade Decision. We will hold a press conference and continue on to the next phase. The next phase is to permanently plant four thousand crosses in Rachel’s Park Memorial to remind America of the death toll that takes place every single day in our blood-stained land. Our national event for Operation Save America will be in Dallas this year. The dates are July 14th-21st. Please mark your calendars now and make plans to join us. The vision and mission of OAS has expanded for the New Year. We will be going to the Church of Jesus Christ to establish the doctrine of bloodguiltiness and its ramifications for our nation. Plus, we are working to set up "Emancipation Proclamation for the Pre-born Child" rallies throughout American cities, culminating in the national Emancipation Proclamation rally in Washington DC on January 1st, 2003. We will be taking the prophetic message of the Gospel of the Kingdom to the streets, to the Church, to our government, and to any other door our God opens to us. Finally, this is also the year I submit myself to the rigors and discipline of a quality Christian education. Please pray for the added grace and strength needed to be faithful in our duties and to perform them with a spirit of excellence for God’s glory. NEED’S LIST There is an elder woman in our Church named Carolyn Knowles. She is a widow indeed and a widow in need. She is faithful on the streets at the abortion mill, she helps troubled youth at the Waco Center for Youth, and she is a full participant in all our Church and Elijah Ministries’ activities. Carolyn is without a car. If you or anyone you know happens to have an extra decent car that would bless Miss Carolyn, please contact us immediately. Our tax bill is still due to be paid before January 31st, 2002. We owe $2,269.04. Our desire is to pay this off without going into debt. As stated earlier, the cost to receive a Master’s Degree, not including the books is a little over $3,000.00. The college has set up a monthly payment plan. It consists of either a $80.00 a month tuition fee, plus a $30.00 rental fee for tapes or a $100.00 tuition fee, plus the $30.00 rental fee for the tapes. If anyone would like to help us cover these added expenses on a monthly basis or a one time gift, we would certainly be grateful. Due to the increased traveling schedule and the commitment to college, we have a need for a lap top computer to faithfully complete the assigned tasks. Thanks! IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE, Rusty Lee Thomas P.O. Box 3126, Waco, TX 76707 Voice: (254) 836-1037 Fax: (254) 836-4092 E-mail: elijahmin@ifriendly.com
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