Christmas Fortnight Day 12 A Word from THE WORD! #424

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Christmas Fortnight Day 12  A Word from THE WORD! #424

As we continue our look at some of the people connected with Jesus’ birth, how about the shepherds?   Shepherds, lowly shepherds.  Those with whom the “elite” didn’t care to spend time.

We’ll look at portions of Luke 2:8-16,

And…. shepherds abiding in the field,

keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,

and the glory of the Lord

shone round about them…

And the angel said unto them,

Fear not:

for, behold, I bring you good tidings

of great joy,

which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born ….a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord…

13 And… there was …. a multitude

of the heavenly host

praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth

peace,

good will toward men…

as the angels were gone ….

the shepherds said one to another,

Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,

and see this thing which is come to pass,

which the Lord hath made known

unto us.

16 And they came

with haste,

and found Mary, and Joseph,

and the babe.….

Keepers of the sheep.

Shepherds—

the lowliest of the low–

Were the first ones to hear the GOOD NEWS.

Had an angel appear to them —

Saw the glory of God around them, and –

Received the greatest ‘birth’ announcement ever–

Heard the angel chorus praise God—

Then, they speedily went and found it

as GOD HAD SAID!!

Have you come to this ONE?

The Savior of the world–

The ONE who reconciles us to the Father—

       Who brings ‘peace’ with God—

As Paul tells us in Romans 5:1,

Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Have you heard the good news in your heart?  Are you looking to this ONE as the shepherds did?  Do you have Hispeace in your heart?  Are you running hither and yon with no peace, or joy?  Are you too proud to bow before the babe in that manger?  He came to die for your sin and mine, don’t let pride, or self-sufficiency keep you from joining the shepherds from bowing before the KING!  Look to Jesus, the SaviorHe still saves and changes hearts and lives today!!  Jesus said it best.

Come unto me,

all ye that labour and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

He’s calling today!  Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Fortnight Day 11 A Word from THE WORD! #423

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Christmas Fortnight Day 11  A Word from THE WORD! #423

As we continue looking at the birth of our Lord, let’s spend these last few days with some of the people connected with the event.  How about the ‘innkeeper’?  This famous person who was of unknown gender, age or heritage.  One who ‘had no room for Jesus’—an anonymous person we all remember.

Luke 2:7 records,

And she brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,

and laid him in a manger;

because there was no room for them

in the inn.

What about me/you? Do we have any room?  Do we have any time for Jesus?  Or are we like the inn keeper, oblivious to the KING’s family knocking at his door.  At my door? At your door?

Jesus speaking to the church at Laodicea said,

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door, I

 will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.“  Rev. 3:20.

This message was to the ‘church’, a ‘church’ that had no need for “Jesus”.  Who thought of themselves,

I am rich,

and increased with goods,

and have need of nothing Rev. 3:17a.

Ring any bells?  Many ‘so-called’ churches, Christians and media stars of ‘Christianity’ seem to have this same opinion of themselves.  But what did Jesus say?

and knowest not

that thou art wretched,

and miserable,

and poor,

and blind,

and naked…”.

  The ‘church’, those who claimed His name, had decided they ‘had no room;, no need for Him or His ways.

Jesus also said in Mark 2:17,

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them,

They that are whole

have no need of the physician,

but they that are sick:

I came not to call the righteous,

but sinners to repentance.” 

Until we realize our need—

that we are “poor in spirit”,

we have no need for a Savior!!!

As long as I see ‘ME’ as ‘righteous’, I don’t need Jesus’ righteousness.  How about you?  Do you have room for Jesus?  What is your legacy?  RoomNO room?   It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

Do you know ‘TRUTH’ or do you have NO truth?  Jesus said, “I AM THE TRUTH”!! (Jn 14:6). Worth repeating is Jesus’ call to all who have had no room for HIM!

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

 if any man hear my voice,

 and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.

Will you make room today?  I pray you will!

Amen and Amen

Christmas Fortnight Day 10 A Word from THE WORD! #422

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Christmas Fortnight Day 10   A Word from THE WORD! #422

Here we are –only a few days until Christmas Day.  A question.  Which do you enjoy most, giving or receiving gifts?  Of course we all love to receive gifts, it’s nice to know that someone cares about us enough to give a gift.  But when I give, why do I give?  To receive, to be noticed, obligation??

I think the key is to remember the GREATEST GIFT!!

John 3:16 reminds us,

For God so loved the world,

that HE GAVE

HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,

that whosoever believeth in HIM

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

God loved us and gave HIS SON to die for us.  What do we give?  Some of us choose and give the perfect gift for each person according to their needs or likes.  Others of us buy a dozen of some great bargain and give one to each person on our list.  Now each style of giving has it’s positives and negatives.  But what is important?  Money, self, time?

1 Peter 4:9-10 says,

Use hospitality

one to another

without grudging.

10 As every man hath received the gift,

even so minister the same

one to another,

as good stewards

of the manifold grace of God...

This refers to spiritual gifts, but I think we can learn a lot about giving here.

We are to be hospitable-‘friendly & welcoming to strangers and friends’.

We are to give as we have received,

For unto whomsoever much is given,

of him shall be much required…. (Lk 12:48b).

In a word—YOURself.   God gave Jesus–I can give ME!!

Don’t get caught up in “price” or “vogue”.  Is there someone who’d love to hear your voice, spend time with YOU, have your help for a difficult task?   Maybe just a visit from YOU?

Think about it!! Is there someone on your list who just needs YOUR time?  Is there someone you need to call today?  Is there someone who needs a token of your LOVE?

Stop!!  Think!!  Listen to your heart!! 

Then just DO IT!

 As Jesus Himself said to us before He went to the cross, so may we live for HIM!

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life

for his friends.”  John 15:13

And Paul said it better than I.

I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Forthnight Day 9 A Word from THE WORD! #421

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Christmas Fortnight Day 9   A Word from THE WORD! #421

Ornaments, lights, a manger and even trees—we’ve looked at all of these during this Christmas “Time”.  We are a culture of “Time”.  Clocks, watches, alarms, appointments, deadlines, punctuality!!!   All things related to time, so let’s take a ‘minute’ to talk about “Time”.  We mention Christmas ‘time’ as a special ‘time’ to reflect on the incarnation of our Messiah, our Savior, our Lord, yet is this not something that we should reflect on, celebrate and share all the ‘time’?

Philippians 2:7-8 says of Jesus,

But

made himself of no reputation,

and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.” 

Jesus stepped into “Time”,

He took on Himself the ‘likeness of men.

He ‘humbled himself’,

took on servant hood

and walked to the cross for me and you.

Born to die!!!  It all goes together.  We should celebrate Jesus’ incarnation every day, for He came to “save His people from their sins”.  Jesus, God in the flesh, who (Father, Son and Spirit) exists irrespective of ‘time’. After all, He created ‘time’.

Time is set as a tool not a dictator.  Are we so hung up on ‘times’ and ‘seasons’ that we forget to use our ‘time’ celebrating and sharing the love of God each and every day. Christmas and Resurrection go together.  Jesus is LORD of all ‘Time’.

The Apostle Paul tells us how to celebrate Jesus in this same section of his letter to the Philippians believers.

 “…work out your own salvation

with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you

both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless,

the sons of God, without rebuke,

in the midst of a crooked

and perverse nation,

among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

16 Holding forth the word of life;…               Philippians 2:12b-16a

 JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! “Christ in you, the hope of glory..

May we ever remember that in time, on time, every time is our LORD Jesus!  We need to remember to “abide” in HIM!

I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”  John 15:5

So?  As someone said, ‘Just do it’…  Let’s celebrate Jesus all the “Time”—everyday, everyway ALL days!!!  In time, on time, every time!  He is worthy of our praise, always!

I will bless the LORD

at all times:

his praise shall

continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Fortnight Day 8 A Word from THE WORD! #420

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Christmas Fortnight Day 8   A Word from THE WORD!  #420

We’ve looked at ornaments and lights and even the manger.  Let’s look today at ‘trees’.  Not Christmas trees particularly, just trees—let’s stack some “wood”.

Galatians 3:13 says,

Christ hath redeemed us

from the curse of the law,

being made a curse

for us:

for it is written,

Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree”.

Jesus took our curse— “For the wages of sin is death”!!  (Ro 6:23a)

Deuteronomy 21:23b,

(for he that is hanged is accursed of God;)

that thy land be not defiled,

which the Lord thy God giveth thee

for an inheritance.

Jesus became our curse, by hanging on a tree.

Born to die on a tree, for you and for me.

He humbled himself

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.”  Philippians 2:8b.

Romans 15:12,

…There shall be a root of Jesse,

and he that shall rise

to reign over the Gentiles;

in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Isaiah 11:1

And there shall come forth a rod

out of the stem of Jesse,

and a Branch

shall grow out of his roots:

He came to die for me.

What a gift.

Remember from day 5, that Jesus not only gives light, but that He IS light.  Similarly,

He is the ‘root of Jesse,

also ‘a rod out of the stem of Jesse,

and yet He is also a ‘Branch” growing out of the root.

An oxymoron of sorts, Jesus

creator of trees—

is our tree, He became our curse.

Yet He gives us life when we trust in what HE did on that tree called Calvary.

 He purchased my salvation there.

My ‘Christ’mas tree?

So?  Jesus calls— ‘take up your cross’ and follow ME!!!

The manger is humbling but the cross saves.

Yes, worship the ‘newborn king’,

but don’t stay in the barn

take up your cross and FOLLOW HIM.

YOUR cross???

YOUR calling???

Will YOU follow HIM?

It’s YOUR choice!!

Be sure and choose wisely, there is a test!!!

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”  Revelation. 22:12.

Amen and Amen!!!