HIS NAME IS JESUS — A SONG OF PRAISE

Posted on September 26, 2020September 28, 2020 by BETH

Before the worlds were created, there was Christ with God (John 1:1-2).

He has forever existed, and Himself is God (John 1:1-2; Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:20; Col.2:9 [deity]).

He made all things–Great Creator, by His perfect design (John 1:3; Gen. 1:26).

He is the light ever shining that enlightens mankind (John 1:4-5; John 8:12; 2 Cor 4:6).

He came to earth – “God with us” as the Son of Man (John 1:14; Matt 1:23; John 3:13-14; Php. 2:6-7).

His virgin birth, Hosanna! Part of God’s mighty plan (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:24-25; Rev. 13:8).

He was despised, Man of Sorrows, And rejected by men (Isa. 53:3; John 1:11; Mark 8:31).

But everyone who received Him was born again (John 1:12-13).

He healed the sick, Great Physician, made the blind man see (Acts 10:38; John 9:11-14).

He raised the dead, what a wonder, set the prisoners free (Isa. 61:1; John 12:1).

He gave His life, Lamb of Calvary, to atone for our sin, (Rom. 5:11; John 1:29, 36)

But He arose, hallelujah! And He lives again (Rom. 1:4; Rev. 1:18).

Well He ascended, holy, holy, To the throne of God (Luke 24:50-51; Eph. 4:8; Rev. 3:21).

Poured out His Spirit, glory, glory, as He promised He would (Joel 2:28; Acts2 17-18; Eph. 4:8-11).

He’s coming back, maranatha! Yes, He’s coming again (Rom. 16:22; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; Rev. 1:7).

He’s coming back, King of kings, Lord of lords, amen (Rev. 17:14)!

His name is Jesus, (Jesus), Jesus!
His name is Jesus, the mighty God.
His name is Jesus, (Jesus), Jesus!
His name is Jesus, the Living Word.

Beth Johnson

Chennai Teacher Training School

Women’s Studies

Muliebral Viewpoint

Articles and Books by Beth Johnson

HELP FOR OUR HUMAN FRAILTIES

Posted on July 13, 2020September 6, 2021 by BETH

In Mark 9:14-29, we read of the boy that Jesus healed, who had a deaf and dumb spirit and who often had fits. Jesus asked the father whether he believed the boy could be healed and the father cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

Words could not express that piercing emotion—that deep-seated need for help to overcome his human frailties.

I have often thought of the pitiful concubine in Judges 19 whose frailties caused her to run away from her husband and back to her home. In her father’s house she had affection and familiar things that made life easier, but the Lord says she was unfaithful.

Did she make vows when her father sold her?

What happened that caused her to run away?

We are not told those things, but we know she was at least “unfaithful” to the covenant her father made with her new owner.

She did not run off with a lover.

She ran home!

Not only did she lack faith, but she also was not submissive. Judges 19:2 says, “And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Bethlehemjudah and was there four whole months.”

Those strong words define the frailties that made up her character.

On the other hand, Sarah was blessed to have a “familiar friend” and a brother who became her husband. The new land and the people were strange to her, but her husband was the solid rock that brought her through it all.

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecc. 4:9-12).

THIS is yet another reason why one’s life companion must be chosen carefully and must be a disciple of Christ (2 Cor. 6:4). Many young people find someone who is “in the church,” but fail to realize that not all church members are children of God (Matt. 13:38-40).

Continue reading HELP FOR OUR HUMAN FRAILTIES

YOU NEVER CAN TELL

Posted on January 12, 2018January 12, 2018 by BETH

You Never Can Tell

You never can tell when you send a word
Like an arrow shot from a bow
By an archer blind, be it cruel or kind,
Just where it may chance to go.

It may pierce the breast of your dearest friend,
Tipped with its poison or balm,
To a stranger’s heart in life’s great mart
It may carry its pain or its calm.

You never can tell when you do an act
Just what the result will be,
But with every deed you are sowing a seed,
Though the harvest you may not see.

Each kindly act is an acorn dropped
In God’s productive soil;
You may not know, but the tree shall grow
With shelter for those who toil.

You never can tell what your thoughts will do
In bringing you hate or love,
For thoughts are things, and their airy wings
Are swifter than a carrier dove.

They follow the law of the universe –
Each thing must create its kind.
And they speed o’er the tract to bring you back
Whatever went out from your mind.

–Gospel Digest, February, 1960

ELIXIR

Posted on May 11, 2017May 9, 2017 by BETH

The far reaching idea of an elixir may be seen by the many ways the word is used—elixir of life, fountain of life, panacea, cure-all, nostrum.

When ancient Chinese tribes found gunpowder for the first time, they obviously didn’t know what it was. Their journals and notes from that first discovery still exist, and the lead scientist called the power “an elixir of immortality” – which is pretty ironic considering it has led to more death than any other substance.

A metaphor is a figure of speech, which makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics. The link, 15 Famous Metaphors in the Bible, does not use the phrase water of life, but from other illustrations given there, one may identify it as a metaphor often used in Scripture.

There is such a comparison in John 7:37-39. “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

A similar metaphor appears in John 4:7-15. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Matthew 5:6—Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Revelation 7:15-17—Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

FIGURATIVE USES:

Water of life
John 4:14
John 7:37-39
Revelation 21:6
Revelation 22:17

Water of affliction
2 Samuel 22:17-18
Psalms 69:1
Isaiah 30:20
Isaiah 43:2

Water of salvation
Isaiah 12:3
Isaiah 49:10
Isaiah 55:1
Ezekiel 36:25
John 4:10
John 7:38

Domestic love
Proverbs 5:15

SYMBOLICAL USES:
Proverbs 5:15
Isaiah 8:7
Revelation 8:11
Revelation 12:15
Revelation 16:4
Revelation 17:1
Revelation 17:15

Read deeply and consider the implications of the word elixir as it relates to the water of life in Scripture.