Many people ask, "Why do you make so much of Jesus Christ?" Others say, "Well, we know something about Christ, but who is Christ? Why do you say, you must believe in Christ, you must accept Christ, you must receive Christ, you must trust Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?" Why does the real Christian say that? H.G.Wells, the great British historian, said at one time, "The Lord Jesus Christ is the most unique Person in the whole of history".

Concerning most men we speak of their origin and birth: that was not the same with the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, that was Incarnation. All things were created by Him. The Lord Jesus Christ existed before the world was ever created. And when Christ was born, it was the most extraordinary birth. The angels from heaven, the shepherds (Luke 2:8-12) and the wise men from the East (Matt.2:1,2) witnessed and spoke of it; He was virgin-born. He was God coming to earth. Why did God come to the earth?

One day a man of God was walking on a road. Ahead of him another man stepped on an ant-hill and killed and wounded a lot of ants and said, "I wish I could get down to these poor ants and tell them I love and sympathize with them. I would love to build an ant- hospital. I would gladly go down and re-build their house, but for one thing, I am too big, and for another, they would not understand my language and I cannot talk to them". He stood helpless. God looked down from heaven; He saw the grief’s and troubles in the world; the distress of people, their sins and wickedness, their wars and strife’s, their jealousy and their prejudice, their pride and discriminations, their fighting, their stealing, lying and cheating, bribery and corruption, generation after generation. God looking down said, "1 want to go down and tell them that I love them and want to help them" (John 3:16; Matt.11:28). Since with God nothing is impossible, He did it by becoming a Man. The lord Jesus Christ was God (He became a man). God Incarnate!

How did God become man? Every day you eat food, but you do not understand the process of digestion. We have Radio and Television. We do not understand them. So also, I do not understand how God became man, but I believe it. Not only was the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ unique, but also His life. He never wrote a book, but more books have been written about Him than any other person in this world. Nobody can understand His love, His tenderness, His compassion. He never performed any miracle for Himself, it was always for someone else. He taught the world to love and to be selfless. He went about doing only good. He made the blind to see, the dumb to speak and the lame to walk. He raised the dead to life again. At His death He prayed for those who crucified Him, "Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

The death of the Lord Jesus Christ was the most extraordinary death that man ever died. The Gospels tell us of His wonderful life and death. One third of the Gospel of Matthew, one third of Mark, one fourth of Luke, and half of John tell us of His death, because when the Lord Jesus died, He died for a specific purpose. He did not die by accident, He did not die as a martyr. He died by purpose and desire. He said, "I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again..." (John 10: 17, 18). Yes, He came for a specific purpose from Heaven-to die on the Cross and to shed His precious blood for the remission of the sins of the world.

The trouble with the world today has nothing to do with economics or politics, nor yet with the atom or hydrogen bombs. The trouble with the world is that man has a desire. You see, God made you more than a body with eyes, nose, ears etc; God gave you a soul, an everlasting soul which will live for ever and ever. You have no choice. You may like it or not. Your body will die, but your soul will live on forever. Your soul is that part of you which has a conscience, intelligence and memory . Your soul is the real you. The Bible teaches that the soul has desires which make people to lie, cheat, steal and hate, discriminate, fight and be treacherous. When you get a group of people with all these desires out of control in their lives, then they explode into war. Nations rise up against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms-and you are in a world war. All the wars in history have been caused by this ruling principle of sin (James 4:1,2). That is the problem with the world today. We still have this basic problem, why? Because from the heart and human nature come all the problems of the world, and that is why the Lord Jesus came into the world. He wanted to do something about this desire called SIN, this guilt and rebellion against God.

Yes, the death of Christ is very different and unique from all other deaths. When He died even the soldiers had to confess that He was the Son of God. Judas His disciple who betrayed Him said, "He was innocent". Even Pilate, who judged Him said, "I find in Him no fault at all". There has never been a death in history like that, for He died, not to stay in the grave. On the third day He arose, and the grave was empty. Thereafter during forty days, He appeared ten times to different people speaking of the coming Kingdom of God on this earth, which He will establish when He comes again the second time. He ascended to heaven after those forty days in the presence of witnesses and is coming back at any time now -then only the world will have peace. He is the Prince of peace. Now listen. What are you going to do about this Lord Jesus Christ? There are four roads open to you.

1. You can make fun of Him and scorn Him, and say that you will have nothing to do with Him.
2. You can neglect Him, you can put Him off, you are convinced that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour, but you are just going to go on in your own ways.
3. You can reject Him.
4. You can receive Him now. Then He too will receive you, pardon and cleanse you from all your sins and will come and dwell in you and fill your soul with eternal love and heavenly peace. Amen.

PUT AWAY THE STRANGE GODS - 4 - BAKHT SINGH

The enemy has gained entrance into many believing homes through fear, and as a result the influence of worldly associations and friendships has brought ruin upon them. Jacob was tempted to settle down at Shechem. Having fled from Laban, he now wanted to live in peace at Shechem. But God told him that that was not the place of his rest. Even though Shechem appeared to be a wealthy and comfortable place, God told him to leave it and go to Bethel. Jacob obeyed and put away all the strange gods in his household. That was why God made His terror to fall upon all the people round about Jacob. No one dared to do him any harm. When we faithfully obey the Lord, He will watch over us and bless us.

There are several reasons for which people keep away from the House of God. Some keep away for the sake of their business. Their argument is that because they have more children they need to earn more money to feed, clothe and educate them. Besides keeping away from the House of God, they also cut down their time of prayer and devotion. At one time they might have taken part very happily in the service of the House of God. But now something has happened, and some strange god has come into their heart. In this way, they have brought upon themselves not gain, but loss. Naomi thought that by going away from Bethlehem she would get more food and be happy. Instead of that she lost her husband and two sons. It was only when she came back to Bethlehem, the house of bread, that she was blessed again. Away from Bethlehem she fell into sorrow and worry; but when she came back to Bethlehem she became the happy grandmother of Obed and the blessed great grand mother of David, the king of Israel. So do not let your worldly wisdom keep you away from the House of God. However busy your life may be, God has the first claim over you.

As Jacob journeyed towards Bethel, God appeared to him and spoke to him. "And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee" (Gen.32:9). What a great privilege it is to hear God's voice! It was as if God was saying, because Jacob had put away all the strange gods in his household He was pleased with him and was able to love him and speak to him freely. Now God was able to bless him fully and fulfill all that He had promised some years ago. "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Gen.28: 15).

Most of us have received promises from God's Word at different times: on a New Year's Day or on a birthday, or on some other special occasion. But perhaps you feel that in your case God has not fulfilled His promises. It is quite possible that your case is just like Jacob's: firstly, there might be some strange god in your life, and secondly, you might be still far away from Bethel. Do not be satisfied with the fact that you have received many blessings in the past. It was so with Jacob; he had received many blessings already, but God wanted to give him much more. "And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it" (Gen.28:10-12).