II Corinthians 4:5-7
"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
October 16th
"...and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end...." Isaiah 9:6-7
It was no ordinary human being Who gave Himself for man's redemption on Calvary's Cross, but even "the Mighty God"! That is even the meaning of the name which Jesus bore, even the great Yahweh in person, with the preserver or Savior word affixed to the name (Yahoshua). Therefore do we read so frequently about "believing in His Name." Not the pinning of faith on some human being, but the pinning of faith in the very Creator, Who had personally come to earth for man's redemption, and to lay the foundation for God's kingdom to be set up on earth, in the fullness of time (as envisioned by God).
"The Everlasting Father"! There is one of the greatest statements in our entire Bible. As I keep reminding you, the Creator did not become a "Father" by the creation of fish, birds, animal, nor even man. Creation is not the proof of fatherhood. But in the words of God: they brought forth after their own kind (Gen. 1:21-25). God is a Spirit. Therefore, He had to beget spirits in order to become a father. The spirits indwelling humanity belong to that well nigh infinite multitude of spirit children begotten by the everlasting Father. Is not a right and noble father the keeper of his children? Yes, even to the extent that he sacrifices himself for them! That is precisely what the "Everlasting Father" did for us. No tinseled trinket was that.
The Shepherdsfield Update #15 (continued tomorrow...)