Details: Written by Gerald Wrenn

December 2016 "Dearly Beloved" Articles

Dearly Beloved 12/31/16 "New Year's Celebration"

New Year’s Celebration (edited)

The big ball drops tonight in Times Square to announce a new year, dearly beloved of God. This celebration pales in comparison to the celebration that brought in the Judean New Year over 2000 years ago.

It took place on Tishri 1 of the Hebrew calendar, which is called Rosh Hashanah in modern Judaism, New Year’s Day.

Dearly Beloved 12/30/16 "Unity from the Spirit"

Unity from the Spirit

How are we to behave before God and other believers after all He did for us in Christ?

God instructs us in Ephesians 4: 1 and following to walk worthily with regard to the calling to which we were called, with all humility towards God and meekness to one another, with long suffering, upholding one another in love, putting forth a diligent effort to guard the unity from the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.

Dearly Beloved 12/30/16 "Oh What a Body!"

Oh What a Body!

Dearly beloved, what does the Word of God reveal to us about the body of Christ?

Ephesians 3:6 AV
That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Dearly Beloved 12/30/16 "Truths of God's Great Grace"

Truths of God’s Great Grace

Dearly beloved, today anyone can know and understand the revelation of the Administration of the Grace of God, which is also called the Administration of the Mystery.

Dearly Beloved 12/29/16 "Enjoy His Rest"

Enjoy His Rest

Dearly beloved, we have entered the rest that only God can provide. Our rest is in Christ, his triumph over sin and death, and over every principality, power, might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come.

Dearly Beloved 12/28/16 "Free from Condemnation"

Free from Condemnation

Dearly beloved by our Father, there is nothing worse than thinking that God does not love you, and that He will not forgive you. Never buy into the treachery of these lies!

Dearly Beloved 12/24/16 "Full Stockings!"

Full Stockings!

Dearly beloved, our Father did not overlook the minutest detail in His plan for the ages which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. His great grace was sufficient in every detail. Christ Jesus fulfilled every detail concerning it.

Ephesians 2:6
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Dearly Beloved 12/23/16 "A Truly Wonderful Holiday!"

A Truly Wonderful Holiday!

Dearly beloved, we will be glorified with Christ!

Romans 8:17 AV
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Dearly Beloved 12/22/16 "In Christ"

In Christ

Dearly beloved, the Church Epistles, teach us that God always designates our position and standing before Him “in Christ” or “in Christ Jesus”. Looking them up (all 75 plus 2 in the General Epistles) will give you something to do over the holidays. Let’s consider a few here.

Dearly Beloved 12/21/16 "You're a Member!"

You're a Member!

I want to let you in on a secret, dearly beloved of the Lord.

Ephesians 3:6 AV
That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Dearly Beloved 12/20/16 "What An Experience!"

What An Experience!

Dearly beloved, what carries more weight; our experiences, or the Word of God?

II Peter 1:20-21 AV
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Dearly Beloved 12/19/16 "A Holiday to Celebrate"

A Holiday to Celebrate

Beloved of God, the purpose of the ages which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord is indeed beyond all we could ever ask or think. As God says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways." People certainly do not think like our Father thinks.

Dearly Beloved 12/18/16 "So Be It"

So Be It

Have you ever put yourself in Mary's shoes as if the angel of the Lord was speaking to you? It is hard to imagine what it must have been like for her.

Mary was of marriageable age, probably a teenager in their culture. She was betrothed to Joseph.

Dearly Beloved 12/17/16 "In Due Time"

In Due Time

Dearly beloved, God always fulfills His Word when the time is right, in due time, the right time, although it may not be the time we expect it to happen.

Dearly Beloved 12/16/16 "The Reason Why"

The Reason Why

Dearly beloved, God is love, and as His beloved children we ought to be imitators of Him. He sent His Son for us because of His great love for us.

The Lord Jesus laid down his life for us, and our Father instructs us to walk in love as Christ loved us, and gave himself up for us. Beloved we ought to love one another and lay down our lives for our brethren.

Dearly Beloved 12/15/16 "After God's Own Heart"

After God's Own Heart

Dearly beloved saints, the one great work of the spirit is to direct the heart.

Every man is right in his own eyes. Follow your heart is the motto of the natural man as well as the carnal Christian. "There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand."

Where do we find the counsel of the Lord? He wrote it down for us in His Word for anyone who wants to know the will of God for their lives, who they are in Christ, how He works in them to will and to do of His good pleasure, what is their hope of glory.

Dearly Beloved 12/14/16 "Grace To Help"

Grace to Help

It does not make any difference what season of the year it is dearly beloved, people still have needs in their lives, and they need what only God can give them.

They may need healing, whether from an illness or from a broken heart. They may find themselves tied up in knots over a financial situation or over a personal issue with someone. Whether facing a tidal wave or a broken heart needs are needs; they can overwhelm you with hurt and pain.

Dearly Beloved 12/13/16 "The Best Present"

The Best Present

Dearly beloved, our Father gave us a wonderful present; the gift of the holy spirit.

He did not just give us the holy spirit as a gift; He gave it to us as His seed. Now we are born of His spirit and we have eternal life. He is our Father and we are His kids.

Dearly Beloved 12/12/16 "How Do You Know?"

How Do You Know?

Dearly beloved, do we wake up one morning to flashing lights and hear a thunderous voice that says, “Voomba, voomba . . . this is truth”? Why of course not! To learn we must have a reference for truth outside of ourselves. This is true regardless of our field of study.

Dearly Beloved 12/12/16 "Thus Says The Lord"

Thus Says the Lord!

So, if the Bible is the Word of God, how do we interpret it? We don't! We should allow God to speak for Himself in the verse where He speaks, in its context, and how God handles the subject previously in the Scriptures. God's Word will interpret itself if we will study it in this manner.

Dearly Beloved 12/10/16 "Reality or Myth"

Reality or Myth?

Dearly beloved, many today teach that when you die that you automatically go to heaven or hell. Is this what God reveals to us concerning the subject?

Wherever the Word of God speaks of life after death, it is a result of resurrection life. When it occurs, you, the whole person will rise from the dead and live again. When will this take place? Only the Word of God can reveal the answer concerning it. What does the Word say?

Dearly Beloved 12/9/16 "A Love Holiday"

A Love Holiday

God so loved us that He sent His Son for us. His Son so loved us he gave his life for us. We truly are dearly beloved.

As God's sons we we ought to be imitators of God and love as our Lord loved us. The "Christmas spirit" shouldn't just live on the Hallmark channel for a month once a year; we should be Hallmark cards known and read of all men everyday.

Dearly Beloved 12/8/16 "Not So Fast"

Not So Fast!

Dearly beloved in Christ, if man's intelligence, his wealth, and his power is all we can rely on, and we are left to his devices there is every reason to live with fear and worry, but thankfully that is not the case.

There is a Living God, the Almighty God, the Lord our God that not only created the heavens and the earth to be inhabited, but He also formed, made, and created us for His glory. Since we confessed Jesus as our Lord and believed that God raised him from the dead we are saved, and we are God's children now. He is our Father.

Dearly Beloved 12/7/16 "Pretty Sure"

Pretty Sure

Dearly beloved of the Lord, don't ever doubt God's faithfulness to His Word. Take the birth of His Son for example. I once read a series of lectures titled, God's Living Oracles, by Dr. Arthur T. Pierson. I would like to share a few paragraphs from them with you.

Dearly Beloved 12/6/16

Dearly beloved child of God, our Father is a miracle working God. He sent His Son, conceived by divine conception. Our Father created the life in Mary's womb without the help of a man.

After those to whom he was sent crucified him, he died, and was buried, but God miraculously raised him from the dead, gave him eternal life, and a new glorious body.

Dearly Beloved 12/5/16

Dearly Beloved

Good morning beloved. God tells us that Jesus Christ was His beloved Son when John baptized him in the Jordan and His spirit descended and abode upon him.

Dearly Beloved 12/4/16 "What Do You Say?"

What Do You Say?

What do you say to the beloved of the Lord, His highly favored holy ones? God says what is in His heart concerning us.

God begins by telling us how much He loves us. He loved enough to give His only begotten Son for us. He overlooks our sins and short comings; He forgives them by the riches of His grace. He redeemed us from its reign over us and He will send His Son to finish what he started when he comes and raises the dead in Christ and changes those of us who are still living to immortality.

Dearly Beloved 12/3/16 "It's That Time of the Year"

It's That Time of the Year

Not many folks were expecting Christ the first time he came. There was a teenage girl, a virgin named Mary, her cousin Elizabeth, a few shepherds, an old devout man named Simeon, an aging widower, Anna who was a prophetess, some Magi (a group of astronomers that Daniel taught the witness of the stars when he was there in captivity) in the distant nation of Persia, and perhaps a handful of others. Not that many folks all told, but nonetheless, in due time the Lord Jesus Christ came was born just the same.

Dearly Beloved 12/2/16 "Labor in Hope"

Labor in Hope

Dearly Beloved, if in this life only we have our hope we are of all men to be most pitied.

Have you ever thought about what men like Moses, or the Apostle Paul, or even Christ must have felt like when they served? God showed them His Word and worked with them to accomplish things beyond human comprehension and yet senses wise the results were not always what one might have expected.

Dearly Beloved 12/1/16 "A New Reality"

A New Reality

Dearly beloved, as you have your coffee this morning drink in this truth along with it: we are the called in Jesus Christ, the beloved of God, His called holy ones – saints! When Jesus Christ became our Lord we came into a whole new reality. When God extended His divine favor to us it changed our reality forever.