No one wants me.

Charlie came to Orangewood Bible Study week after week. Then one Sunday at church he told me that he trusted Christ for the first time that day. We prayed and I gave him a Bible and a small wooden cross. I did not see Charlie again for several weeks, he ran from Orangewood and ended up in Juvenile Hall. I asked him what he was going to do when he was released and he said he would go back to Orangewood because no one wanted him.

I prayed for Charlie, a lot! I could not get him out of my mind.

 Charlie was eventually released back to Orangewood where I met with him again. He told me that he has a new foster home that he will be going to in a few days. This is God's doing!

 I would like you join me in continued prayer for Charlie and the other kids at Orangewood, in foster care and the ones still out on the streets. Thanks.

Zoe Perissos

Why does Jesus refer to Himself as the Son of Man? Ever wonder?

His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.
From My Utmost for His Highest - Oswald Chambers

When Christ entered this earthly realm it was a true miracle, not just the virgin birth but God becoming man, that was the awesome miracle. Never before had God appeared in such a way, and we along with the apostles declare Him to be the Son of God, meaning God in human form. Our relative position to Christ is that we are sons of men and He is the Son of God. As the Son of God, we are reconciled with God through Him.

But he most often referred to Himself as the Son of Man. When Jesus ascended and returned to heaven another awesome miracle happened, never before had a man of flesh appeared before the Father. Jesus relative position to the Father was Son of Man. As the Son of Man, God is reconciled with man through Him.

It is a simple formula:

Son of God - God is reconciled to man on earth.
Son of Man - man is reconciled to God in heaven.

Jesus saw his role and purpose on earth as Son of Man, we see Him as Son of God.

zoe perissos

Those who have a high view of the importance of eternity have a high view of the importance of life. Those who disregard eternity will also disregard life.

Think  about this for a minute. It would seem to be the opposite. Didn't the Apostle Paul say "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."? (2 Cor 5:8)

The think that we often miss or ignore when we speak of life is that life includes suffering! We must take life as a whole, the good, the bad, the pain and the joy. Suffering, injustice, war, tragedy and natural disaster are all as much a part of  life as love, family, joy, art, music and beauty.

If life were only the positive things, we would have no need for eternity.

You see, suffering and eternity go hand in hand. Suffering has no value at all if there is no eternity. I am not talking about pain. Pain has a purpose, it leads us to repair. If we had no pain we would have no inclination to repair or improve. But I speak of prolonged pain, without hope of improvement - suffering.

Let's put this in practical terms. As the horror of late-term abortions are played out in the court and the media, those that support the idea of late-term abortions do not deny that how this is done is critical. They defend the practice out of a manufactured need.

Pro-Choice Colorado explains that their state is one of the few where a late abortion can be obtained. “Outpatient abortion is available up to 26 weeks. In addition, medically indicated termination of pregnancy up to 34 weeks is also an option for conditions such as fetal anomalies, genetic disorder, fetal demise and/or severe medical problems” (NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, italics added). The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice says that “on the rare occasion when a woman has a late abortion it is because the fetus has severe or fatal anomalies or because the pregnancy endangers her life or health” (italics added).  Source http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/beyond-the-rhetoric-gosnell-and-the-late-term-reality

Of course everyone knows that abortions are also justified by pro-choice groups because of other non-medical reasons as well.

But even in the cases of "fetal anomalies, genetic disorder, fetal demise and/or severe medical problems" and the potential suffering of a child born with such conditions, only the certainty of eternity gives reason to this suffering.

This is true even for the babies who will only live a short time or who will live their entire lives with suffering, for they also live in the reality that “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. . .” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Here especially is an opportunity for those who cling to Jesus to love hurting families in ways that make God look strong, good, and worthy of our hope and trust. ibid

We cannot compare our suffering or even the suffering of innocents in this life to "the eternal weight of glory".

And to those who despair in this life to the point that they consider removing themselves I propose these things:

1. The Father so highly valued life that God became a man and submitted Himself not only to the joys of life but also to its ultimate suffering, then we should value it the same and continue on until God is finished His work in us and through us. (John 3:16)
2. If God has designed and proposed a work that is to be accomplished through us according to His will, created us with an exact blueprint for His purposes (Psalm 139) then we should value this purpose in life even though the suffering seems futile and non-productive.
3. With the indwelling Spirit we are the representatives and ambassadors of God here on earth. The majority of God's work is done through his Body of believers. Our ultimate joy and purpose is found in doing His will while we remain here on His earth. (2 Cor 5:20 and 2 Cor 1:3-4)

zoe perissos