Like An Anchor

Jesus The Christ

8 July, 2013

I’d like to share a quote from a book I picked up a couple weeks ago. I still haven’t decided whether or not I like Mysteries of the Middle Ages by Thomas Cahill, but it has given me several things to think about. For example, there is an interesting footnote to page 50, in which the author discusses the shift from approaching Christianity through a “Jewish conceptual framework” to a Greco-Roman view that disconnected Christianity from its Jewish roots.

By the time of Constantine, Jesus was already shedding his Jewishness; and the Greek word Christos (Christ), meaning ‘Anointed One,” a translation of the Hebrew mashiach (messiah), had become in effect Jesus’s surname.

The problem with this is that treating “Christ” simply as a surname can make us lose sight of an important aspect of Who He is and what He was sent to do. His names have meaning, but too often we pay no more attention to those meanings than we would to the fact that the names John Doe mean “God is gracious” and “a female deer.”

Christ, the Anointed, is a title that God gave Jesus. It is so important that it quickly became part of His name — the name “Jesus Christ” is used 198 times in the New Testament and “Christ Jesus” 58 times. “Lord and Christ” is how Peter referred to Jesus in his Acts 2 sermon.

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:32-36).

Looking For a Messiah

Having read from the scriptures we know as the Old Testament (some were discussed in this post last week), the Jews of Christ’s day were expecting an Anointed Savior to appear from the Lord. When Andrew (who became one of the 12 disciples) first met Jesus, he said, ““We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ)” (Jn. 1:41, NKJV). Even the Samaritan woman who Jesus spoke with at the well said, ““I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things” (Jn 4:25, NKJV). In reply, Jesus said, “I who speak to you am He.”

The fact that the Jews were expecting the Messiah — the Lord’s Anointed, or masiyach (H4899) — is why He is referred to as “the Christ” seventeen times in the gospels. It is why John’s Gospel was written, so “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name” (Jn. 20:31).

What Was He Anointed to Do?

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

This scripture is one Jesus chose to read as He taught in the synagog at Nazareth on the Sabbath. After reading it, He said, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). Quoted from Isaiah 61, this mission is what His anointing included. Here in Luke and Acts 10:38 are the only places I’ve been able to find where the word “anoint” is used this way in the NT, but I think it is safe to say that the anointing Jesus received from God included other roles, such as High Priest (Heb. 5:1-10).

If we forget the meanings contained in Jesus’s names, we lose sight of much more than just the Jewish roots of our faith. The fact that Jesus is the Christ, the One chosen and Anointed by God, is one of the founding principles of our faith, and should not be ignored if we seek to follow and honor Him.
The Lord’s Anointed

6 July, 2013

It happened again — I intended to write a post about one thing and got sidetracked by a different verse. This time, it was Psalm 2 out of The Holy Bible in its Original Order.

Why do the nations rage, and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Christ, saying, “Let us break Their bands asunder and cast away Their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:1-3)

The word translated “Christ” in this version is typically translated “anointed” (compare texts from the NKJV, NIV, and ESV). This is from the Hebrew word masiyach (H4899), which we typically Anglicize as Messiah. As pointed out in John 1:41, Messiah is, “being interpreted, the Christ.”

Messiah

Looking at the use of this word in the Old Testament, it is translated several ways. The first time it appears, it is referring to “the priest that is anointed” (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:22). Since it usually refers to a consecrated person, it can also be used of kings (1 Sam. 24:6; 2 Sam. 23:1) or God’s people (1 Chron. 16:22; Psa. 28:8).* Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter say in their dictionary that the concept of “Messiah, as a Savior is not fully developed in the Old Testament. .. this concept is developed later, during the New Testament period and fits better with the parallel Greek word christos.”

Daniel’s prophecy is the only place where masiyach is translated Messiah in the KJV.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:25-26)

Christ’s Kingdom

Though masiyach is only translated as Messiah once, its usage in the OT may not be as disconnected from the NT as Baker and Carpenter seem to think. Take 1 Samuel 2 for instance. Hannah’s prayer of thanks after Samuel’s birth ends with a prophecy:

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.(1 Samuel 1:10)

This seems to me like it could be a prophecy of Jesus Christ coming, and I’m not the first to think along these lines. Writing in the early 18th century, Matthew Henry said,

We have reason to think that this prophecy looks further, to the kingdom of Christ, and the administration of that kingdom of grace, of which she now comes to speak, having spoken so largely of the kingdom of providence. And here is the first time that we meet with the name Messiah, or his Anointed. The ancient expositors, both Jewish and Christian, make it to look beyond David, to the Son of David. Glorious things are here spoken of the kingdom of the Mediator, both before and since his incarnation; for the method of the administration of it, both by the eternal Word and by that Word made flesh, is much the same.

His Anointed

Though Henry does not not draw the same conclusions about the following verses, I would like to bring them up as well. When the Lord rejects Eli’s sons from being priests because of their sins (1 Sam. 2:22-36), He says,

I will raise Me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in Mine heart and in My mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before Mine anointed for ever. (1 Samuel 2:35)

Neither The Holy Bible in its Original Order nor the NKJV capitalize “anointed” in this verse, but I could easily see this as referencing two God-beings. It is a similar situation in chapter 12, when Eli addresses the people after anointing a king over them.

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before His anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand. And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. (1 Samuel 12:3-5).

I would love to hear my readers’ thoughts on these verses. Could they be references to the Lord’s Anointed? or am I reading too much into this?

*according to Strong’s Dictionary and The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament. See “About” for complete citations.
Baked Parmesan Chicken Skillet

3 July, 2013

Pasta is probably my favorite food. So when I came across this recipe through Pinterest, I was really excited to try it. Problem was, I didn’t have any pasta shells, I don’t like diced tomatoes, and all the basil in my house is dried. So I came up with a variation using spaghetti sauce and threw in some rotini I wasn’t sure what to do with (which was great, since the little spirals trap the sauce and hold flavor). It was a lovely dish, but a bit dry so I added more liquids the next time and it worked perfectly. I hope you enjoy!

Baked Parmesan Chicken Skillet

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1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

nicely melted cheese on top

1 cup tomato sauce

2 cups water

1½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

10-12 oz pasta (I used rotini)

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil.

Cook chicken in an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once done, remove from skillet and set aside. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Add the oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt to the skillet and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, water, chicken broth, and the pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then cover the pan and continue simmering until the pasta is tender, about 16-18 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks.

Baked Parmesan Chicken Skillet

Once pasta is tender, remove the cover and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, the pepper, and the chicken. Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese, the remaining Parmesan cheese, and finally the basil. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and bubbles around the edges.

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Things You Should Know About INFJs

1 July, 2013
It might be terribly self-centered to devote an entire post to my Myers-Briggs personality type, but I’m going to do it anyway (think of it as a birthday present to myself). As the rarest personality type, we INFJs often feel misunderstood and alone. Most estimates say that less than 1-2% of the population have this type. That’s one reason discovering our label is so important to us (as I’ve written about before). It lets us know that we are not abnormal, flawed humans. We’re perfectly normal INFJs. This isn’t going to be the first list of it’s type. There’s a Top 10 Things Every INFJ Wants You To Know list and one titled How to love your INFJ? This last one is written mostly for romantic relationships, but it’s funny and true so I linked to it anyway. Though these two lists, and others like them, are excellent, I still wanted to add my voice to the mix. Which brings us to the first point:

image found on Pinterest
- INFJ spend a lot of time thinking, and we like to share our thoughts. The problem is, we have a hard time putting them into words when we’re speaking, which can make us appear inarticulate or even unintelligent. That’s why so many of us become writers — it gives us the time we need to put our thoughts in order before we present them to other people. When we do talk with and listen to others, we crave depth and sincerity rather than small talk.
- In keeping with all the time we spend inside our own minds, you’ll sometimes notice us staring off into space. There’s nothing wrong with me when I do this and there is certainly no need to wave your hand in front of my face, shout at, or poke me (you know who you are).
- We really do need people. While some introverts can thrive in solitude for quite some time, INFJs love being around people. They might terrify us sometimes, and we do need alone time to recharge, but life without people makes us depressed. This doesn’t mean you’re likely to find us at parties, however. We prefer a few close friendships. And when we find those friendships, we want them to last forever and tend to work hard at being a good friend.
- The flip side of this relationship thing is that it’s hard for us to make these deep friendships because we’re reluctant to share our true selves with others. It’s taken years for me to share bits of my inner world with my closest friends. In addition, INFJs have a horror of conflict, and will avoid it as long as possible even when something needs to be addressed in a relationship.
- image found on Pinterest
  
  We’re often feel like we belong in other worlds. For me, this fits quite well into my Christian faith and my fantasy writing. For other INFJs, it can mean feeling disconnected from the physical to such an extent that they’ll forget to eat (something I’ve never struggled with).
- INFJs tend to be romantic idealists. We do dream of finding true love, but I mean this in the sense given in the fourth Oxford English Dictionary definition. We are fascinated by what might be, what could be, and what should be. We want to bring order and peace to the world.
  
  4. Characterized or marked by, or invested with, a sense of romance (romance n. 5a); arising from, suggestive of, or appealing to, an idealized, fantastic, or sentimental view of life or reality …
- INFJs are known in personality circles for being deeply intuitive. We just seem to know things without being able to explain them. This frustrates our more logical friends, but we find it very useful. It helps us see situations and arguments from both sides and appreciate different people’s perspectives even when we don’t agree with them. In spite of a strong sense of right and wrong and strict adherence to an inner value system, INFJs are very open minded and want to see the best in people.
If you’d like to know more about the INFJ personality type, check out my book The INFJ Handbook. I just updated it with a ton of new information and resources. You can purchase it in ebook or paperback by clicking this link.
Praying For You

28 June, 2013

I’ve written about prayer before, but I want to shift the focus this time from praying for everyone (1 Tim. 2:1, 8) to praying for our brethren. There are numerous examples of praying for those close to us and who share our faith. Jesus prayed for His disciples and “for them also which shall believe on Me through their word” (John 17:20). Paul mentions that he prays for the brethren (Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 13:7; Eph. 1:16; Php. 1:4, 9; Col. 1:3, 9; 1 Thes. 1:2, 3:10; 2 Thes. 1:11; 2 Tim 1:3; Phm. 1:4 ) and instructs his readers to pray for each other, for him, and for others in ministry (Rom. 15:30; 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2-3, 12; 1 Thes. 5:25; 2 Thes. 3:1; Heb. 13:18). James tells us to “pray one for another, that ye may be healed” (Jas. 5:16).

Each time Paul says that he is praying for the brethren, he mentions specific things he is praying. In Romans, it is that he will be able to visit them shortly. In 2 Corinthians, he prays that they would “do no evil.” In Ephesians, he asks “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him”. Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, and Philemon record general requests made on someone’s behalf.

In Colossians and 2 Thessalonians, Paul gives more extensive lists of specific things he was praying for. These can serve as a model when we are praying for each other. The focus is on spiritual matters, praying for a person to increase in knowledge and develop a closer relationship with God.

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness (Col 1:9-11)

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thes. 1:11-12)

From James 5:16, we know that “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Prayer is one of the most helpful things we can do for another person. We should never feel like, “I just don’t know what I can do to help” as long as we are able to pray.

I’m going to end this post with a lovely prayer recorded in Psalm 20 as translated in The Holy Bible in its Original Order. Usually I prefer the King James for Psalms, but the translation for this psalm makes the prayer seem more personal, and God’s help nearer.

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble, the name of the God of Jacob set you on high, may He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion. May He remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah. May He grant you according to your own heart and fulfill all your plans.

We will shout for joy in your victory, and in the name of our God we will set up banners; may the Lord fulfill all your prayers. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen, but we have risen and stand upright. Save, O Lord; let the King hear us when we call.
Chocolate Frozen Cheesecake

26 June, 2013

Cheesecake in the freezer

I’m celebrating my birthday early with my favorite birthday cake. Cheesecake is amazing in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, but this is one of my personal favorites. It’s smooth, creamy, and best of all considering what time of year it is — frozen! It’s very rich, so perfect for cutting into thin pieces and sharing with guests. It will keep in the freezer for a several days, though, so you can spread it out over a few days if you don’t want to share it with very many people.

Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake

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Crust

1¼ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup butter, melted

Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into 9-inch spring form pan.

Filling

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup chocolate syrup

1 cup whipping cream

Beat first three ingredients in glass bowl with an electric mixture. Whip the cream in a separate, smaller bowl. Fold whipped cream into other mixture.

pouring the batter

Poor into prepared spring form pan and freeze overnight.

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