Citizens and the Book of Life

Phillipians 4:8

With other fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

According to Bible Manners and Customs it was custom, sort of followed in today's society, to have registries with the names of their citizens, both those born there and those adopted. Heaven is shown the same way. There is a book with the names of God's children in it. It's referenced in Revelations as well during the final judgement called the Book of Life.

In the latter, those whose names are not found, are thrown into a lake of fire, but only after God has judged them according to their deeds. What type of judgement is not really clear. However, according to the ancient customs when one lost their citizenship, they're name is erased from the registry. Makes one wonder if they will be forgotten for all time by those who survive and dwell with God.

P. 463

Tear Bottles

Psalms 56:8 : Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into they bottle: are they not in thy book?

This is an ancient Oriental custom where all righteous tears are saved in a bottle and buried with the person as proof for God. All other types of tears are not saved. However, in this verse, it's saying the proof is not needed and that His children's good works are recorded in God's book.
 
Light through an Eastern Window by Bishop K.C. Pillai pp.115-116.

God's Got This

When you feel like you're dropping off the edge of the Earth.
When you think it can't get any worse.
When you wonder what you could possibly have done that was so wrong.
Remember.
God's Got This.

You are His masterpiece.
You are his precious and beloved Child.
You are an heir God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ.
You are already sitting on the right hand of God.
You are healed. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally.
You live more than abundantly.
You are taken care of via His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.
You can do all the things Christ did and even more because Jesus sits in heaven.
You can speak in Tongues, speak forth prophecy, discern spirits, have words of knowledge and wisdom. And that's only the beginning of the spiritual gifts!
You name is written in the Lamb's book.
You will be raised from the dead or changed when Christ returns.
You're going to get to meet all those wonderful people you've read about in the Bible.
You get to live in heaven - forever.

So Remember.
God's Got This. 

Same ole, Same ole

Yet again, an add has arrived in the mail from a local Christian store. Disappointing is that the same old books, DVDs and CDs are featured. Nothing new. Does this mean that no new creative projects are coming from various artists, film makers and writers? Or is it simply that there is so much back stock this is the only way to get rid of the inventory?

Difficult to say. With the holidays coming up, one would hope for newer items to give as gifts to friends and family.

Aliens waiting to hear about Salvation?

In light of last week's topic, All Other Creatures, which tells us as believers to preach the word of God to all other creatures, meaning anything God made, I am now addressing the issue of whether or not there might be aliens on other worlds or even beings on our own planet who need to hear the about salvation.

Granted, the argument has been given that humans alone were created. After all, it says in Genesis we were made in God's image. Yet, what is God really? He is love. He is spirit. Two things easily transformed into other beings or shapes or creations.

Yes, Jesus is the only begotten son. But who is to say that God did not make other beings elsewhere who, even now, wait to hear the good news that will be brought by us, when or if, we ever manage to leave our cradle and launch out into the stars.

I didn't think it a crazy idea. In fact, in my book God's Gift, which is on my publisher's 'to do' list and will be released sometime in the near future, addresses this very question.