Who is the Redeemer?

About 700 years before the arrival of the Messiah, the prophet Isaiah foretold of a Redeemer to come.

For example:

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD.

(Isaiah 59:20)

“…Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

(Isaiah 60:16)

“…you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.”

(Isaiah 63:16)

Yet first, what is redemption?  (And we need the definition as established in ancient times.)

   The apostle Paul stated: “For [the Father] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

   Thus redemption here is tied in with being forgiven.

   In my early youth, glass bottles were still commonly used for sodas.  I remember drinking the original sports drink out of a glass bottle.  It tasted so good.  Yet glass bottles were being steadily phased out, since aluminum cans had taken over.

   In one of the first mass recycling endeavors in the United States of America, a number of states passed a law that a person could take her or his glass bottles back to a store and “redeem” them for a nickel a piece.  This was to keep people from littering glass or throwing away glass bottles.

   Thus redeeming was exchanging an empty bottle for money.  The purpose was achieved: the state prevented the bottle from being wasted.

   That definition of the word was quite eroded from the subject of forgiveness, yet it illustrates the basic concept of the word.  There was a payment to get the bottle back.

   The redemption by the Redeemer was a payment so people can be forgiven of sins.

What was that payment?  Death.

What does death have to do with sins?

   As Paul states: “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).

   Death, physical and spiritual, is a consequence of sins.

Who is the Redeemer?

   Paul completes the sentence: “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

   Jesus made forgiveness possible by an exchange of His life for the sins of people.  Jesus took the sins of all people, past, present, and future, in His own heart, and died on the cross.  The payment was His own death.  Then Jesus was resurrected by the Father.

   I often speak of Jesus as my Savior.  Indeed, the angel who spoke to David in a dream stated: “[Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

   Likewise, Redeemer is a title which richly embodies the salvation which Jesus has made possible for us.

   The result of giving your heart to the Redeemer, who is the Messiah: “They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD…” (Isaiah 62:12).  And the gift of eternal life becomes yours, as we learned from Romans 6:23.

Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  He was the substitute for the consequence of sins, which is death, physical and spiritual.  If you believe in Jesus, the Redeemer foretold by Isaiah, then you will have eternal life in Christ.

Hunter Irvine

How should we address God?

   We learn from the Bible about how to address God in prayer.  Christians can address God using more than one term.  Yet we have a clear foundation for addressing, thanks to the teachings of Jesus.

Heavenly Father – Jesus gave us a manner of prayer, teaching us what is now termed by Christians as “The Lord’s Prayer,” as recorded in Matthew 6:9-13.

He taught to address God in a prayer as “our Father, who art in heaven.”

Thus addressing God as “Heavenly Father” is an utter privilege!

Holy Father – In the longest prayer by Jesus recorded in the Scriptures, recorded in John 17:1-26, (specifically 17:11), Jesus addressed God the Father as “Holy Father.”

Righteous Father – Likewise in that prayer recorded in John 17:1-26, (specifically 17:25), Jesus addressed God the Father as “Righteous Father.”

Father – And to begin that prayer in John 17:1-26, Jesus simply began saying: “Father….”  A follower of Jesus has been adopted as a child of God, thus a follower of Jesus has the ultimate privilege of calling God “Father!”

Father God – The spark for writing this piece was the prayer of a man at a Christmas event I attended, an event which was my surprise blessing of the Christmas season.  This term is how that man addressed God.

From careful examination of the revelations of Scripture, you can learn God is revealed as three Persons and one Being.  Thus to refer to the Father, or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, as God, is accurate.

Jesus – Speaking of the “Trinity,” Jesus is God the Son.  Sometimes we Christians directly address Jesus when praying.  I understand this personal address.  Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).

And after ascending to heaven, Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father, as generally stated in Hebrews 8:1.

This is a personal address, which I use often in personal moments.

I do add that when praying publically, I go with addressing our Father, and then by closing in the name of Jesus.

For example, I close many prayers by saying, “It is through the loving name of You Lord Jesus I pray.  Amen.”

Christ – Jesus is the Messiah.  So including the title “Christ” along with His name fits.

Holy Spirit – It is rare I address a prayer to the Holy Spirit, yet I am mindful that the Holy Spirit likewise is the third Person of God.

In fact, there have been times where I have addressed all three Persons of the Trinity when in prayer.

Lord – I often hear Christians referring to God as Lord when praying.  The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Savior and Lord of anyone who believes in Him.

Lord God Almighty - There are many other terms for God which we can draw on from the Old Testament.  This is one.  And it is not simply some Old Testament term needing to be retired.  This address is given to God in the future as revealed in the book of Revelation.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).

I write this piece on Martin Luther King Day here in America.  The profession of Dr. King was a career as a Baptist minister.  In his classic speech, “I Have a Dream,” Dr. King referred to God in the final closing sentence as “God Almighty.”

   Titles for God as revealed in the Scriptures are numerous!

I offer one example of several titles given by the prophet Isaiah in one single verse:

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace

(Isaiah 9:6)

   Touching on Isaiah, I must mention Isaiah’s prophecy of “Immanuel” as recorded in Isaiah 7:14, which was acknowledged by an apostle of Jesus named Matthew in his ‘gospel’ book, in chapter 1, verses 22-23.

   And think of John’s address for Jesus being the Lamb of God!

   Recorded in the ‘gospel’ of John in chapter 1, verse 29: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

This single title summarizes the atoning sacrifice Jesus made on the cross!

   Back in the 1990’s, I was on a Christian retreat with “Salt and Light,” the singles group of my church.  In a small chapel at the retreat center, on one upper wall near the ceiling, there was a list of numerous names for Jesus which are revealed in the Bible.  It was amazing and powerful to see so many names for Jesus so artfully printed on a wall!

   You can find lists on the Internet of the many names for Jesus revealed in the Bible.  This is not a comprehensive list.

   Just as the Trinity goes beyond my imagination, so does the nature of God.  So I do not think Jesus restricts us to one title in which to address God.  I think your address of God needs to be personal for you.

   On the flip side, I think this is an important subject to consider, since God is honored when Christian brothers and sisters address Him in a Biblical manner as a family.

   Recorded in the book of Exodus, God identified Himself as “I AM.”  Then God revealed His name of YHWH, which is probably derived from “I AM.”  This all happened at the “burning bush.”  The term YHWH is called the Tetragrammaton by scholars today.  Yet no vowels or vowels, it was a revealed name of God.  But it sure was not personal.

   What an incredible shift to being able to refer to God as Father.  That is totally because of the sacrificial atonement made by Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead by the Father.  For all people who believe in Jesus as their Savior and Lord, they are adopted as children of God!

   Thus I bring this subject home by saying that in prayer, a believer in Jesus is privileged to address God as “Father!!!”

+ Heavenly Father, I thank You for adopting me as one of your children through the atonement of Jesus.  I have life in Christ.  And after some big ups and downs of the past week, I take this moment to say thank You for enabling me to have joy and peace in the midst of the challenges and in the midst of the victories of the past week.

It is through the loving name of You Jesus I pray.  Amen.

love, Hunter

Christmas love!

   Upon arriving in Joseph’s hometown, instead of love, Joseph and Mary were shunned by some family members, at first.  Their residence was Nazareth, in the region of Galilee, which had been a region within ancient Israel.  But the ten northern tribes, called Israel at the time of their demise, were conquered by the Assyrians in 722-721 B.C.  Yet Joseph was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah, and a descendant of King David.  Thus when the Roman emperor demanded a census, the newly married couple had to travel south to Bethlehem, the town of Joseph’s lineage, to register.

   Scripture gives the brief explanation as to why they had to spend the night in a stable: “…there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).  Could not an innkeeper do anything possible to take in a woman about to give birth?  Ancient near east inns were more than likely to be dens for liquor and adultery.  Since business was hopping, the beautiful realm of birth was shut out.  However, most Hebrew travelers would stay with relatives in Judea.  I have long been convinced that Joseph and Mary, at a desperate hour, were trying to get a room in the inn at Bethlehem since all of their relatives had refused to welcome the couple into their homes.  Why?  Mary had become pregnant out of wedlock.  Relatives shunned Mary thinking she had committed adultery.  They responded in the opposite manner of Elizabeth, a relative of Mary, who was aware Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit, and who was elated to have Mary stay with her during the time of her early pregnancy (see Luke 1:42-43).  Thus, Mary had to give birth in a stable, or barn.

   How incredible that from such suffering by Mary and Joseph, God the Son gloriously entered into this hurting and needy world.  And Jesus will bring goodness from the suffering of all of us who are obedient to Him.  Jesus Christ died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for the consequence of sins, which is spiritual death.  Then Jesus was resurrected.  If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be saved, and you will have everlasting life.  Jesus loves you!!!

Merry Christmas!  love, Hunter

Make your own college decision!

   In your search for a college to attend, make your own decisions.  And the final decision needs to be 100% yours!

   If you are a student considering college right now, it is wise to get advice from various sources, including your parents and your guidance counselor.  And it is wise to ponder such advice.  And there are always financial issues to take into consideration.  Yet then make your own decision!

   You are the one who is going to study at that university.  You are the one who must live it.

   You might get pressure from parents or friends.  Please know that pressure or no pressure, the decision is yours.

   There is only one Person who fully knows what the best choice is for you: God.  Pray with all your heart for help from God the Father, the One who wants the best for you.  If the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart and you have peace in your heart about your decision, you are on the correct path.

   And no human being knows you better than you.  So make a decision with the best of your ability, and then stand by your decision.

   On the slim chance your experience at that college ends up being different than you expected, or if the university is not a fit even though you did research galore, you can always transfer after a year.

   In my opinion, it is a rough time to be a student.  University admission has become ridiculously competitive!  Also, there has been a polarization between in-class and online education.  And the cost is outrageous.

   However, there has never been a better time to research details about a university because of all of the information on the Internet.

   Give your college search a complete effort.  And in the midst of the challenging endeavor, know you are loved by the Lord God Almighty!

Hunter Irvine

Write a great college admission essay

1) PASSION

If you have a passion, express your passion in your essay.  Then your enthusiasm will naturally shine through.

If you have interests which could grow into a passion and career, express those interests.

2) PLAN

Have a single theme:

Twice I attended a Christian writer’s conference in the early 2000’s in Colorado.  My core seminar speaker stated that an author should be able to state the theme of his or her book in one sentence, or even one word.

That is wise for an essay.

Years ago, one Friday night when I was in the mood, I wrote an application essay.  My theme: “Home.”

I add my thesis was: “I am on a journey to my eternal home.”

Before you start writing, determine your theme!

Do stay within the boundaries of the question:

Shifting for a moment to a test, when answering an essay question on a test, it is a must to specifically answer the question.  So called “essay” questions on tests are usually only “long answer” questions.

Now for college admission essays, questions are often more broad in order to encourage a real essay.  This gives you the opportunity to get personal and to get creative.  However, make sure the core of your essay covers their broad question.

Start with an outline:

Writing an outline is my weakness.  When I am in the mood to write, I have a thought, and I get excited, and I like to start rolling.  Yet then I have more editing in order to give needed structure to my piece.  It is best to have at least a scant outline at the start.

And hit the following two points if they fit the essay question or questions:

- The reason studying a particular subject or subjects would foster future opportunities to carry out your passion.

- The reason that particular university has potential to be a fit for you.

3) POUR IT OUT!

Be yourself!

This is the most important point.  Write as though you were talking to your reader.  Use vocabulary you would use if you were talking to an enrollment counselor in her or his office.  The common expression is: “Use your own voice.”  In your own words, convey from your heart why you want to study a certain subject for the next four years.

Give an illustration:

If you can stay within the word count, close with a story if it clearly illustrates your point.  For example, if you want to study “Communication,” and you tell about a time you had fun making a video for a class project, this will serve as an illustration.  In most cases, you probably want to give the shortest version of the story, rather than getting into all the details.  And whatever the word limit is for the essay, do not go a single word over!

Yet in telling a story, you “show” by offering important descriptive details.

Edit big time!

The key to all good writing is to edit much.  Right here on Scripture Love Blog, I have written more than 300 pieces over the past fifteen years.  For almost all of those pieces, I did much editing, often waiting until at least the next day to do a final edit.  When you put the writing away for a period of time, you are able to freshly edit so the piece is truly polished.

Read it out loud:

One of the best classes I took at Colorado Christian University was “Research Writing.”  Dr. Windy Petrie, who now serves at a Christian university in California, is an incredible professor.  I learned some of these good writing principles from her.  And she taught me a lesson, which I had not practiced previously, which has greatly improved the quality of my editing: When editing, read it out loud!

When you hear yourself read, you recognize whether a sentence flows or does not flow.  You also catch little errors.

4) CELEBRATE

Be proud of your piece:

Your objective in writing a college admission essay is to be accepted into a specific university.  However, in the current overly competitive university application process, a wonderful essay is not a guarantee of being accepted.  The best you can do in the moment is to work hard to write a quality essay which genuinely expresses your heart.  If you have done that, celebrate your writing.  (I like to celebrate by taking a special scenic walk, which is an occasion to take a few precious minutes to relish in my accomplishment.  You might want to get a milk shake.)

Be encouraged:

The other day I was looking at the acceptance rates of some random universities, and I was astonished at how low their acceptance percentage was.  Even if you apply to such a school with a realistic expectation that the odds are against you, it still hurts to get rejected.

Yet do not let potential rejection thwart your dream!

Engage in much web page research regarding each university you apply to.  Talk with someone at the university if you have questions.  Get extra assistance from your guidance counselor.  Work hard to write a good admissions essay!  And give the entire process your full effort!  Then you will have an opportunity to be accepted into a fitting university.

When I applied to colleges back in the last century, at some point in high school I got my heart set on one specific college, because I liked the campus and I liked the history involved with the university.  I applied early admission, but I was rejected.  I was upset.

Yet I did not let that rejection thwart my goal in any manner.  I continued to work to be accepted to a great university.  And I was.  Ironically, looking back these many years later, the university which I attended turned out to be much better for me!

Celebrate indeed:

After all of your hard work, every time a university accepts you, even if that number is simply one, celebrate.  (Treat yourself!  For example, you could treat yourself and a close friend to lunch.)

Then go by God’s guidance to choose the university or college which has the best potential to be a community where you can flourish.

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Thrive in college - DREAM ON!

                            Choose your own dreams!

   I happen to be one of those crazy Christians who is convicted that God wants good dreams to come true for us.  For a vision of good dreams you need God’s guidance and encouragement.  And for dreams to come true, the objective is to merge your passions with your dreams.  Fulfillment will result.

   In pursuit of a college education, align your major with your passion, or at least with your intense interests.  Then ponder whether your passion and/or interests fit your dreams, or can in some manner support your dreams.

   If you have yet to find your passion or passions, keep working to discover them.  Maybe you will find them in the midst of learning new subjects or embarking on new adventures during your early time in college.  Learning is a blessing.  Thus an opportunity to keep learning is a blessing.

   My junior year of high school was crummy.  Looking back, I realize four out of my six classes were not a fit for me.  Those four classes did not fit my gifts or interests!  From the start I was on a wrong track in high school because my mom wanted me to earn the “Governor’s Seal.”  She calculated that would look good on a college application.  Her intention was good, since mom sincerely wanted me to attend a good college.  Yet long term success from high school or college work does not come from highlighted accomplishments; rather it comes from a good education.

   Considering my ill-advised high school plan, in retrospect it makes sense that I became discouraged about future dreams.  In fact, as discouragement escalated in high school, attending college merely became a career goal.  (Yet it did become a strong goal during my freshman orientation, but I will spare you that story.)  Also, I did want to please my parents who were so supportive of a college education.

   Yet in the midst of my work at Virginia Tech, flourishing there became my dream!  And my education and degree from such a great university supported some future dreams.

   On a grand note, attending and graduating from Colorado Christian University was my dream!  I made a huge sacrifice to study there in my forties.  Goodness resulted, and again, future dreams were supported.

   To ultimately succeed, there is even a deeper foundation: Love.

   Whatever your pursuit, loving people is the best you can accomplish.  Loving people is what God wants us to do.  Radical!  Reflecting here on my years at Virginia Tech and my years at CCU, I realize my greatest accomplishment in college was loving people.

   And know today that Jesus loves you!!!

   In my college years I made many mistakes, yet I also made many great decisions.  This has been emotional reflecting back.  I hope this eight point series helps you to thrive in college, for real.

                            What is a dream you have?

+  Heavenly Father, in this world full of so much trouble, I pray for help for each of us to further gain opportunities to carry out our passions and to live our dreams.  And may we rely on You to love people all along.

It is through the loving name of You Lord Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Hunter Irvine

Thrive in college – PERSEVERE

                                                    Persevere by prayer!

   Reassessments are a part of persevering.  Sometimes adjustments are needed, such as changing a major.  Adjustments are a courageous part of persevering since they put you in a position to carry on.

   Reassessments are best when you are not under pressure.  Summers might be the most conducive time when in college.  That monumental career change I told of in my last piece was not finalized until weeks into my summer.  The pressure was less, and I had time to ponder.

   Praying is critical.  Once I talked with a minister in a café in Ithaca, New York.  Turns out we both shared the same Alma mater, though he studied four years earlier than myself.  Now I was not a Christian at Virginia Tech.  He was.  His major was Computer Science there at a time in history when the computer field was starting to swell from obscurity to being a standard part of society.

   Yet at some point during the spring quarter of his sophomore year, he was considering shifting to a career in Christian ministry.  What he did was wise.  One day when he had no commitments, he took the entire day off.  He went to some quiet area away from campus.  Then he prayed and pondered.  After doing so, he made his decision.  (He decided to enter the ministry, yet he also decided to complete his Computer Science degree at Virginia Tech over the next two years.)

   At some point in college, you should consider and pray whether you are on the correct track.  If you are, keep going!

   Be willing to pray for help, and not just when there is a crisis.

   I like to socialize.  Praying is simply talking with God, which includes listening to God, first and foremost through Scripture.  Then your heart will be prepared for you to make caring decisions, and your mind will be more focused to make wise decisions.

   Praying is not simply an action for huge decisions.  In order to persevere, sometimes you need to pray simply to make it through a rough week.  Seriously, I am long out of college, but last week I had a rough week.  I needed God to help me make it.  He did.

What is a challenging goal you accomplished which required perseverance?

Hunter Irvine