This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

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In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Because He Lives . . .

I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. 

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” (Luke 24:5-7)

And with those words from the angel, the women at Jesus’ tomb found that Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He had foretold. Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 

And after about 40 days, Jesus returns to the Father where He now sits at His right hand.

That’s it? That’s the end of the story? Not hardly! This is but the beginning.

Jesus continues to act in His very unique and singular position with respect to our salvation and justification with God, the Father.

Jesus is the he ONLY way to Heaven.
John 14:6 – I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus was the blood sacrifice that reconciled our sin and our sin nature with our Holy God.

Jesus is the ONLY Mediator between God and men.
1 Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God and ONE Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)

Jesus is the ONLY name given for Salvation.
Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Jesus stands at the door and knocks. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)

Jesus is the ONLY advocate for us.
1 John 2:1 – My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Jesus has already satisfied the demands of justice, so God accepts His Son’s advocacy on our behalf as part of their divine agreement, established before the world began.

Jesus is the ONLY Intercessor in heaven.
Romans 8:34 – Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
The promise of Christ’s intercession belongs to all for whom He died. All those who have found forgiveness in Him have the assurance of His intercession. 

Jesus intercedes for us in Heaven

“Therefore He [Jesus] is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). This verse (and others like it) tells us that although Christ’s work to secure the salvation of the elect was completed on the cross, as evidenced by His cry “It is finished!” (John 19:30), His care for His redeemed children will never be finished.

Jesus did not go to heaven after His earthly ministry and “take a break” from His role as eternal Shepherd to His people. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10, emphasis added). If when humble, despised, dying, and dead, He had the power to accomplish so great a work as reconciling us to God, how much more may we expect that He will be able to keep us now that He is a living, exalted, and triumphant Redeemer, raised to life and interceding on our behalf before the throne (Romans 8:34). Clearly, Jesus is still very active on our behalf in heaven.

After Jesus ascended to heaven and was seated at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:9; Colossians 3:1), He returned to the glory He had before His incarnation (John 17:5) to carry on His role of King of kings and Lord of lords—His eternal role as the second Person of the triune God. While this old earth continues to be “won” for Christ, Jesus is the Advocate for Christians, meaning He is our great Defender. This is the intercessory role He currently fulfills for those who are His (1 John 2:1). Jesus is always pleading our case before the Father, like a defense lawyer on our behalf.

Jesus is interceding for us while Satan (whose name means “accuser”) is accusing us day and night, pointing out our sins and frailties before God, just as he did with Job (Job 1:6-12). But the accusations fall upon deaf ears in heaven, because Jesus’ work on the cross paid our sin debt in full; therefore, God always sees in His children the perfect righteousness of Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross, His righteousness (perfect holiness) was imputed to us, while our sin was imputed to Him at His death. This is the great exchange Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5:21. That took away forever our sinful state before God, so God can accept us as blameless before Him.

Finally, it is important to understand that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. No one else – no one – has the power to intercede for us before the throne of the Almighty. Christ alone is the God-man, and He mediates and intercedes between God and man. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

Savior, Redeemer, Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, and finally, Righteous Judge – all this from the One Who loved us so much that He gave His life for our sins . . . to reconcile us with His and our Holy Father in Heaven.

Now, as God’s adopted sons and daughters in Christ, we can wholeheartedly . . .

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Hallelujah!

Maranatha!

With bloodstained wood, His cross still stands
High on a hill for all to see
And see Him, too, with open arms
Calling to all to “Come, believe”

Empty and still, His tomb lies bare
He has risen; He is not here
Victory won, conquerors all
The sting of death we shall not fear

His earthly mission now complete
Standing by His Father’s side
His Spirit sent to all the world
Now prepares places for His bride

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come”
And we who hear will say, “Come”, too
That those that are athirst may come
To believe and have life anew