NO MORE SINNING

 

NO MORE SINNING

I John 3:4-6 Those who sin are opposed to the law of God; for all sin opposes the law of God. And you know Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him. So if we continue to live in him, we won't sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known him or understood who he is. NLT

We must let these verses penetrate deep into our souls. We must understand what God is saying to us about sin. Sin does matter. Sin is not something we can ignore. We must take it seriously. It is what Jesus died to take away from us. When we excuse ourselves when we sin and pretend like it's no big deal, we are in essence saying that Jesus' sacrifice for our sins isn't that big of a deal. We are negating His death. Sin is what put Jesus on the cross. He didn't die for His sins, because He had no sin in Him. He died for our sins, because there is a ton of sin in us.

A true child of God does not continue to live in sin. We do sin, but it is not our normal way of living. We resist the temptations to sin. We deliberately say no to sin. We deal with sin when we fail. We understand our need for repentance. We are sensitive to our heart's need for holiness and seek Christ's forgiveness. We raise the standard of our hearts according to God's Word and strive to live by it. We are uncomfortable in the presence of sin. In other words, sin does matter to us.

If you have accepted Christ as your Savior and you are continuing to live in sin, you are only kidding yourself. You are not right with God. You don't know Him or understand Him. Jesus came to change us from a people who don't know God into a people who do know Him. And, if we truly know Him, we will become like Him and live in holiness and not sin.

SIN OPPOSES GOD'S LAWS

 

WORKING ON NUMBER 92

SIN OPPOSES GOD’S LAW

I John 3:4 Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God. NLT

This is a message every believer needs to know. Somehow we don’t seem to get it. We tend to ignore this very important truth. Those who sin are opposing God’s law. God’s law is the life He desires and expects us to live. He clearly defines what it means to live godly lives. He tells us what is and is not acceptable behavior on our part. He gives us no wiggle room as far as sin is concerned. When we sin we are opposing God.

We must understand this truth. Sin is not acceptable behavior for the believer. We have convinced ourselves that because we live by grace and are given eternal life in Christ that sin is not that big of a deal. We are not diligently protecting our souls from sin. We have a low opinion of our need to be a holy people. We give lip service to godly living, but do not do a very good job of living it. We must be very careful and mindful of the fact that all sin opposes the law of God, the law that demands we be holy.

Dear friend, we must not continue to play games with our salvation. We cannot continue to take a lax attitude towards sin. Sinful behavior and thinking is not okay with God. God takes our sin seriously and so should we. We must be diligent pursuers of holy living. When we do sin, we must confess it before Christ and seek His forgiveness. There is no other way to live a life that pleases God. He honors and rewards a pure heart. A heart tainted with sin will come underneath His judgment. It can be no other way, for our God is a holy God. He is merciful and gracious to those who strive to live godly lives, but if we don’t try, we will be held accountable for it.

JUST LIKE JESUS

 

JUST LIKE JESUS

I John 3:1-3 See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don't know God, so they don't understand that we are his children. Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure. NLT

All who seek after God apart from Christ is of this world. The world does not know Christ and are in the dark as to who God really is and how to get to Him. History ought to teach us this very valuable lesson. Mankind has always acknowledged the existence of God, but their concept of God has been distorted and taken them on a lot of weird paths. Without a personal relationship with Christ, no one can grasp who God is and how He relates to us.

In Christ, we are children of God and as His children we are able to grasp who God is. We learn from Him how to relate to Him. We learn who we are and who we will become. We can't understand all that we will be when the Lord returns, but we know enough to want to be it. Who we become now is but a taste of who we will be when we are freed from all of sin's influences over us. We will be as Jesus is, pure in heart. We no longer will struggle with sin. We will always live right with God.

We won’t be as Jesus is, God, but we will be like Him in that we will have no more sin in us; we will be holy, even as He is holy. We will take on His character. We will be just like Jesus someday. And until then, we must moving in that direction.

Don't underestimate who you are in Christ, you are God's child. Don't underestimate God's love for you. And, don't underestimate who you will become in Christ. We are heirs to the Kingdom of God. We will be where God is forever and ever. We are heirs to a life with no pain, sorrow, or sin. We will live in perfect peace with God and one another forever. We will live forever in the glory of God and behold Him in all His majestic splendor. Oh, that will be, glory for me!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

Don't listen to what the world says about God. God has given us, His children, the truth about Him and the truth sets us free. You are a child of God, live like it. Keep yourself pure, even as Jesus is pure.

CHILDREN OF GOD

 

CHILDREN OF GOD!

I John 3:1 See, how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don't know God, so they don't understand that we are his children. NLT

God loves us and calls us who have embraced Jesus as our Savior, His children. We are God's own children! We have privileged status with God; we are His. We are recipients of all that is good. We are given His special attention. He gives us access to all that is His. We can call heaven our home and He promises to bring us home someday to be with Him forever. God is our Father and we have the privilege of discovering more and more about Him as we head home.

On the other hand, the people of the world do not know God. They are not His children and have no real knowledge about God. They can only know about God, but they can never know God. They don't understand the things we do and they are not blessed with heavenly things like we are. They are on the outside looking in and cannot comprehend what it is like to be on the inside looking out.

People of the world simply don't get it. Their hearts and minds are darkened by sin and they cannot grasp the concept of being children of God. Therefore, many will even deny that it is possible. They have no concept of being in a relationship with God. The only reality they know is this world and unless they come out of the darkness of the world to Jesus, they will never understand what it is like to be a child of God.

We are children of God! Oh, dear friend, let these words sink deep into your soul. Let them comfort you as you struggle against Satan. Let them encourage you as you struggle in this world. Let them prod you on as you as you long for your heavenly home. Let them inspire you as you feast on the riches of His grace. Let them identify you; may all see and know that indeed, you are God’s child.

We are God’s children! Our Lord is already home and He is preparing a dwelling place for us to live in for all of eternity. Oh, dear friend, do not let your heart be troubled. God has you on His heart and mind. You name is written on the palm of His hand. He will never leave you or forsake you.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow! We are God’s children! We are the victors. We are overcomers. God is on our side and Satan cannot do anything about it. Live like you believe it. Jesus has cleansed your heart from all sin and has made you righteous and holy before God. You belong and blessed by God. He will see you home to heaven to be with Him for all of eternity.

“Praise the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me, praise His holy name.”

REMAIN FAITHFUL

 

REMAIN FAITHFUL

I John 2:24,25 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. NLT

      We must somehow get this truth today.  There are so many of us in the Church today who have wandered away from the things we have been taught and should know.  Some have gotten so far away from the teachings of the Word that they no longer can be taught by it.  They have filled their minds up with so much which is not true that there simply is no room left for the truth.  They surround themselves with those who likewise no longer are following the truth. 

      God’s Word is absolute truth in its entirety.  We cannot waver in this conviction.   If we do, then we fall prey to all kinds of untruth.  We must understand that God spoke to us and had it recorded for us in what we call our Bible.  It is unwavering in its authority over us.  God said what He meant and meant what He said in all things.

     We sit back in amazement and wonder how it can be the way it is, how so many have distorted or disregarded the Scriptures as absolute truth.  It all begins when we cease to be faithful to the Word.  We adapt it to what we want it to say.  We ignore those things we don’t want to do.  We make it suit our lifestyles.  We fail to take the time to understand it as it is written.  We use it for our advantage instead of God’s intended purpose of making us holy. 

      We do not have the right to change God’s intended purpose for its existence.  When we do, confusion sets in and we drift away from the faith and God’s fellowship.

      The only way we are going to be able to live in fellowship with Christ and our heavenly Father is for us to keep the Word pure.  We come underneath its authority over us.  We let it change us instead of us trying to change it.  We let it do its work in us instead of us trying to work it.  There is no way to have fellowship with God other than through our submission and obedience to His Word.  Living in fellowship with God never ends and He fills our lives up so we can enjoy this wonderful life He has given us. 

      Remain faithful to those things the Holy Spirit has taught you from the Scriptures.  Do not waver from what you know to be true.  Do not doubt the authenticity of the Word of God, its authoritative voice, or its relevancy to our living.

       Remain faithful and you will enjoy the fellowship of God both now and for all of eternity.

LET IT GO

 

LET IT GO

I John 2:15-17 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from the evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.  NLT

       How attached to this world are you? Are you living for the enjoyment of the things it offers? Are you caught up in this life and find yourself reluctant to let it go? If so, then stop it! Too much attachment to the world robs you of fellowship with God. You cannot have a healthy relationship with God while clinging to worldly life. What you see in this world is not going to last. No matter how promising it may be, all worldly stuff is fading away and will soon be gone. The things of the world can never fulfill their promise to satisfy the soul. When you crave and cling to the things of this life, you will be disillusioned and dissatisfied. The things of the world are addictive and the more you have of it, the more you will want.

      Dear child of God, you must understand this truth. Our life is eternal. It is not tied to the world. Life that satisfies can only be found in Christ. Only the Lord can deliver on the promise to fulfill the desires of the soul. Only Jesus can sever the ties you have with the world so that you can do the will of God.

       If you are hanging on too tightly to the things of the world, you need to loosen your grip and let go while you can. The longer you cling, the harder it is to let go.  The longer you cling, the less likely you are to find and do God's will for you.  The longer you cling, the less likely you will make it to heaven.  The longer you cling, the less likely you will be to even want to make it to heaven.  The things of this world are evil and from Satan himself.  They will never deliver on their promise to satisfy your soul. 

THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS

 

THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The story of Christmas is the story of God’s love.  It is God loving us so much that He willingly gave of himself to be our Savior.  It is God saying yes to us and no to himself.  If God had wanted to, He could have stayed in heaven and kept us in bondage to His law.  He could have made it virtually impossible for us to be saved.  But, He did not choose to act that way towards us.  God gave us His Son to be our Savior. 

God knew what Jesus would face on earth.  He knew the heartaches and sufferings He would go through.  He knew that most would reject Him while He was on earth and even do so to this day.  He knew that the world has no place for Him in their hearts.  Just as there was no room for Him in Bethlehem’s inn, there is scarcely any room found for Him in the human soul.  Yet, because He loves us He came anyhow.  He came to give life to all who would receive Him.  He came to give mankind a way to get to heaven when they die. 

There is no greater gift to give than one’s self to another, and that is exactly what God did.  He gave us His all that whosoever will may come and find forgiveness for their sins.  Christmas is God coming down from heaven to be with us and to save us from our sins.  Christmas is HIStory.  It is the story of God’s love and it is the grandest story ever told. 

On this Christmas Day, let our hearts not be on what’s under our trees or on our dinner tables.  Let our hearts be on Jesus, the Word of God in the flesh, our Savior and Lord.

THE SHEPHERDS' WITNESS

 

THE SHEPHERDS’ WITNESS

Luke 2:17,18a  Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.  All who heard their story were astonished…

     The shepherds had just been a part of the greatest event in all of history—the Messiah had come to earth!  They had seen angels in the sky announcing it and had gone to the manger and seen it.  The long, awaited event had finally happened and God allowed them to be eyewitnesses of it.  As you might imagine, their lives were forever changed. 

      What did they do?  They went out and told whoever would listen what they had heard and seen.  They could not be silent.  God had intervened in their lives in such a profound way that they just had to share the good news with everyone.  There was no lack of people to share their story with.  Bethlehem was full to overflowing with people who had come to be registered for the census, a people who desperately needed the Lord.

      Have you ever told anyone about what the Lord has done for you?  If not, why not?  How can you not want to share your story of God’s touch with others?  Don’t you see the masses around you?  Don’t you know that they desperately need the Lord? 

       Those who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished by what they heard.  It was the most amazing news they had ever heard.  There are people everywhere around you who will be likewise astonished if you were to tell them.  There are people who are ready to hear what the Lord has done for you, a people who just like you, will never be the same once they hear the good news of what the Lord has done for you.

        The shepherds were forever changed, yet much remained the same.  They returned to their flocks and resumed what they had always done, shepherded their sheep.  God uses us where we are at if we will but let Him use our mouths and lives to witness for Him.

THE SHEPHERDS' VISITORS

 

THE SHEPHERDS’ VISITORS

Luke 2:8-15  That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.  They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them, “Don’t be afraid!”  he said.  “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!  The Savior---yes, the Messiah, the Lord---has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And this is how you will recognize him:  You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!”  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven---praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.”  When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem!  Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

There are a lot of things we can observe from this miraculous night of our Savior’s birth.  The night started out like any other night; the shepherds were watching over their sheep, protecting them from any potential predators and from wandering away.  They were not expecting anything unusual in the night; they were simply occupying.  The Lord often shows up in our lives when we are just doing what we normally do, living out our lives humbly before Him.

When the angel from heaven appeared in the night sky, the shepherds were terrified.  Who can blame them?  Many times when the Lord speaks, we become frightened.  We don’t know what is coming next. 

The message that the angel brought to the shepherds was good news, great news, generous news, and grand news.  Jesus, the promised Messiah, had come!  It was news of great joy for everyone.  It was the best news that man had ever heard.  It was news for all the ages; Christ the Savior was born!  They were told where to find Him and how they would find Him.

It that was not enough to forever change the shepherds’ lives, the angel was joined by the angelic choir singing the praises of our Immanuel, Jesus our Lord.  The shepherds were left speechless.  Who could blame them?  They hurriedly left and went into town to find the Christ child.  When they found Him, they went and told everybody they could what had happened and who they found.  I wonder, how often we get so excited by what the Lord says to us that we just are compelled to go and tell others about it?

I am intrigued by this part of the Christmas story.  Were the shepherds the only ones who say the angel, the angelic host, or heard their message?  Scripture says that the glory of God filled the sky.  I would think that everyone for miles around would have seen the sight, but we are not told that they did.  And if they did, why aren’t we told that a great crowd of people filled the streets of Bethlehem in search of the Christ child?  You would think that this was an event that would have forever changed all who were in town that night. 

Yet, we are told that later on Herod and the religious leaders in the land did not know Jesus had been born.  When the magi showed up two years later, they were caught off guard and had to inquire about it. 

Let us be very careful that we don’t miss the wondrous signs the Lord gives us.  Just like signs preceded His first coming, there are many signs given that are preceding His second coming.  God is giving us plenty of signs to prepare us for His coming.  Are you paying attention?  Are you ready?  Jesus will come again like a thief in the night; no one knows when, but I believe it will be very soon.  Don’t be like those in Jesus’ day who missed the signs announcing His birth.  Live each day in readiness and you won’t be left behind.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

MARY'S VISITOR

 

MARY’S VISITOR

Luke 1:26-28  In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary.  She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.  Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Have you ever been visited by an angel and received a message of God?  I haven’t.  I have often wondered what it would be like.  Would I recognize him?  I would like to think I would, but I don’t know.  There are those who claim they have indeed been visited by an angel.  There are reasons to believe from the Scriptures that we have a guardian angel assigned to us to watch over us and I have been in some situations in my life where there is no reasonable explanation why I was not seriously hurt or killed.  But, I have not seen my angel or heard him speaking to me.

Mary was a young, teen-aged, Jewish woman engaged to be married to Joseph.  She was devout in her faith in God and God noticed.  He sent Gabriel, an angel, to Mary to give her a message from the Lord.  Imagine Mary’s initial shock.  God had been silent for over 400 years.  No one had had a vision, dream, or direct word from God since the days of Malachi.  People believed in God, but it was a belief handed down from one generation to the next for many, many years.  And now, an angel appeared to Mary and spoke to her some very strange words.  I am sure that it took Mary a few moments to regain her composure before she was able to take in what God wanted her to hear.

Mary was found to be highly favored by God.  I wonder what it would take to be highly favored by God.  What do you suppose God thinks of you?  Does He think good things about you?  Is there enough of Him in your life that you are found to be pleasing in His sight?  Isn’t that what we strive to live for, to be found to be pleasing and acceptable to God?  How confident are you that God looks down on you and smiles?  What does it take to find favor with God?

We must be a holy people.  We must love God more than anyone or anything else.  We must strive to live by His Word.  We must be submissive to Him as our Lord. We must be doing all that we can to serve Him.  We must be ready at all times for His return.  We must be a people of love and grace.  We must have the same attitude and spirit that Jesus had.  We must be quick to forgive.  We must be salt and light in the world in which we live.  If we do these things, God is well-pleased.

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST

 

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST

Luke 2:14  Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.”

Glory to God in the highest—for the fullness of time had come.  It was the perfect time, God’s time, for Jesus to come.  God had prepared all history for this moment.  Everything on earth was ready for a Savior.  Those born under the Law were ready to be set free.  Publically God’s children were anxiously waiting for the promised Messiah. 

Glory to God in the highest—for the favor of God rests with men.  Think about it.  God has favored man with His presence!  We are not alone in our spiritual battles.  We no longer have to wonder where God is.  God favors those who are His.  He favors us with His Spirit.  He favors us with spiritually-minded hearts that enable us to understand the Word and gives us a desire for Him.  He favors us with the church, where we can grow and become a holy people unto the Lord.  He favors us with all we need to withstand the stormy times of life.  He favors us with a life that is worth living and dying for.

Glory to God in the highest—for the future of man is with God.  God gives us a reason to live and a reason to die.  He gives us a life worth living for, a life filled with God’s peace, joy, contentment, love, and power.  He gives us a life that satisfies the soul, both now and forever.  He gives us eternal life, a life where there is no more sorrow, pain, confusion, doubts, fears, or death. 

Glory to God in the highest—there is now peace in the heart of man of all those who will receive Him as their Savior.  This is a peace that holds the soul steady through all the storms of life.  It is a peace rooted in God’s grace.  It is a peace knowing our sins are forgiven and there is now no more condemnation for our sins.  It is a peace that causes the soul to sing, “It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.”

THE WISE MEN

 

THE WISE MEN

Matt. 2:1,2  Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod.   About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.”

Consider with me today the wise men of Christmas.  We can learn much about our own lives as we gaze into their role in the Christmas story.

Wise men look for Jesus.  Jesus can be found.  He will be found by all who sincerely seek Him.  Look in the Scriptures and you will find Him.  Look in creation, which is His handiwork, and you will find Him.  Look at the cross of Calvary and you will find Him.  Jesus did not come to a select few that they may be saved.  He came that all people will behold Him and find Him.  He came that all who are willing to be saved will be saved.

Wise men obey God rather than man.  We live amongst a people who do not know God and have no desire to know Him.  We are faced with many choices daily; do we obey God or man?  The world does not like it when we boldly live for Christ.  We are bound to run up against opposition.  Wise men take a stand for God.  They live godly lives regardless of how it is received in the work or marketplace. 

Wise men worship Jesus.  When we live in the presence of Jesus it humbles us.  Wow!  God allows us to enter into His presence!  What a privilege!  In Christ, unholy people are made holy and fit to come before Him in worship.  When we live in the presence of Jesus we are moved to praise Him.  How can we do anything less?  Praise is always fitting in worship services.  When we are in the presence of God, we are awestruck.  Wow!!  God!!

The world worships the presents of Christmas.  We worship the presence of Jesus.  Let us live like wise men and bow before our Lord and King today.

 

JOSEPH’S DILEMNA

Matt. 1:18-19 Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born.  His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.  But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.

     In the Jewish culture being pregnant out of wedlock was a very grave matter, worthy of being stoned to death.  There was no mercy shown to those who would commit such moral sin.  It was written in God’s law that such people would be unfit to live since they had blatantly disobeyed God’s law and shamed their parents.

     Mary was a young teen-ager around thirteen or fourteen years old.  Joseph was probably a young man in his twenties.  It was normal for girls to get engaged young at that time.  An engagement was a legally binding agreement to marry; it was deemed to be a lifetime commitment to one’s finance’.  An engagement, though legal, did not allow the couple to consummate their relationship until after their wedding ceremony.  The only way to break an engagement was through a divorce, or in the worst-case scenario, a stoning due to immoral behavior.

     Joseph was a man of integrity.  He loved Mary and did not want to see her stoned to death.  He was just and could have demanded it, but his love would not let him.  He did not know at this time how she could have done such a thing to him, but he wanted to treat her with love and grace.  He could not continue on with the engagement so he sought a way to divorce her without having her stoned to death. 

       We can learn a lot from Joseph.  He was quick to offer grace instead of judgment.  He loved Mary and wanted to spare her life and even public disgrace if he could.  How often do we think before we act?  How often do we ponder how to act graciously towards those who wrong us?  How often do we try not to publicly shame those who do us wrong?  Think about it, shouldn’t we all be more like Joseph?  Shouldn’t we all be quick to offer grace instead of condemnation?  How can we claim to love the Lord and act like we don’t? 

     Let us strive to a people of integrity and be gracious to those who may wrong us.  Our acts of kindness may very well make the difference between them embracing our Lord or turning away from Him.

FOLLOWING THE STAR

 

FOLLOWING THE STAR

Matt. 2:9-10  After this interview the wise men went their way.  Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem.  It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.

     The Magi, or wise men, were from an eastern land, probably Persia.  Scripture leads us to believe they were probably astrologers.  They were knowledgeable men who studied the stars and were able to recognize the various things they saw.  In verses one and two, we are told that they had seen an unusual star in the sky that they knew was from God to lead them to the King of the Jews, the promised Messiah. 

     These men were not ignorant of the Scriptures.  We can only speculate, but probably their knowledge of the Scriptures goes back to the time of Daniel, who was an exiled Israelite relocated in Babylon.  Daniel rose to a position of great prominence in Babylon and had a great influence in the land for the Lord.  He lived and taught the Scriptures all throughout his life in captivity.  In all likelihood, Daniel’s teachings were passed down from generation to generation.  We never know what kind of an impact we will have on future generations.  If we are faithful to live godly lives, we can influence many, many people we will never know for Christ.

     There are a couple of interesting questions that jump out at me.  Did anyone else besides the Magi see the star?  If so, did anyone else in Persia understand what they were seeing?  Did Herod, the reigning emperor, see the star?  If he did, Scripture seems to lead us to believe he had no idea what he was seeing.  Did anyone else in the region see the star?  Why didn’t others follow the star?  You would think that a star that stopped over a particular house would have grabbed a lot of people’s attention.

     This amazing event happened at least two years after Jesus had been born.  Mary and Joseph had settled into a home.  By then, they had adjusted to the life of early parenthood.  They had had time to deal with the uniqueness of their situation, being the parents of the Christ-child.  I kind of wonder as well whether or not Joseph or Mary had gone outside and seen the star hovering over their home.  All kinds of things were going on in their lives that simply are not recorded in the Scriptures.

     It took the Magi at least two years to make the journey to Bethlehem, two years of crossing the desert to think about what they were going to see.  I am sure that it was a journey filled with much discussion and contemplation.  Although they did not know where the star would end up leading them, they followed the star, knowing that it was from God.  They did not let circumstances keep them from their determination to follow where the Lord was leading them.  I wonder how many of us are just as determined to follow the Lord wherever He leads us.

     The Magi followed the star and God did not disappoint them.  They found Christ and worshiped Him.  All who seek Christ will find Him. 

GOD WITH US

 

GOD WITH US

Matt. 1:23  “Look!  The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).”

God is with us, GOD is with us.  God is WITH us.  God is with US.  No matter how you say it, this is the grandest news man has ever heard! 

GOD is with us.  The designer, creator, and sustainer of all that is, is with us.  The beginning and end of all things is with us.  The giver of all life and the hope of all ages is with us.  He who knows all things knows us for He became one of us.  He who cannot be contained for all heaven is His footstool, became flesh and dwelt for a while amongst us.

God IS with us.  No matter how distant God may at times seem to be, He IS with us.  How can we know for sure it is true?  He said it is so.  He has declared that He is with us, that He will never leave or forsake us, even unto the end of the earth.

God is WITH us.  God did not create us and leave us to fend for ourselves.  He does not reside in heaven and leaves us alone.  God is with us.  He is with us in whatever we go through in life.  He is with us to help us when we lose our way.  He is with us when we are confused and frustrated in the times of life.  He is with us all the days of our lives, both now and forever.

God is with US.  God is with us, His children.  God is with all who come to Him for the forgiveness of their sins and choose to live under His authority over their lives.  He has chosen US to be His children and live holy lives.  Do not fear what comes your way, God is with US.

Immanuel, God with us, is the Christmas story.

JESUS OUR PRINCE OF PEACE

 

JESUS OUR PRINCE OF PEACE

Is. 9:6-7  For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

     Jesus is our Prince of Peace.  A prince is someone in a position of authority and responsibility.  He has certain rights that no one else has.  He takes his responsibility as representative of the people he represents seriously.  A prince endeavors to be a person of good character so that those he represents will trust and follow him.  Jesus is the ultimate prince of life.  There is no flaw in His character, ability to lead, motives for leading, or ability to do good for others.

     Jesus is our Prince of Peace amidst the stormy times of life.  There is no storm that He cannot calm.  There is no obstacle too big for Him to overcome.  He calmly faces the angry storms of life and says, “Peace be still.”  No storm can continue to rage when He takes control of it.  In Christ, we discover that no matter what the stormy season of our lives may be like, we can overcome them through Him.  His presence reassures us that our storms do not determine or define our lives.  We can face positively our storms knowing we do not face them alone.  He is our Immanuel and does for us what we cannot do on our own.  Things may continue to be stormy for a season, but we know that the storms do pass and on the other side of every storm, there is calm, sunshine, and peace.  We praise Him in the midst of the storm because we know that the victory is ours in Christ Jesus.  No storm can take us away from our Lord when we let Him hold our hand in the storm.

      Jesus gives to us a peace that the world can never give.  In the world, there is turmoil everywhere.  No matter what others may promise us, there can be no peace in the world.  The world is governed by evil and will be until Jesus comes.  Looking into the world for peace is utter foolishness and forever futile.  The only peace that steadies the soul and enables us to handle life victoriously is the peace that Jesus gives when our sins are forgiven.  If there is no peace in the soul, there can be no peace in the world.  The promise of our Lord is His peace, a peace that no one can understand except those whose sins have been forgiven. 

     Jesus leads His children into the green pastures and sets them down by the still waters where they are safe and secure and can feast on the riches of His grace.  Only in Jesus will you ever find peace.  Only in Jesus can you truly say, “It is well; it is well with my soul.” 

     “Thank you, Jesus, for giving us a peace that the world cannot take away, a peace that passes all human understanding.  Thank you, God, for your indescribable gift of love, Jesus, our Prince of Peace.”

JESUS OUR EVERLASTING FATHER

 

JESUS OUR EVERLASTING FATHER

Is. 9:6-7  For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

     Jesus is our Everlasting Father.  He has always been, is now, and forever shall be.  He is one with God, our Heavenly Father.  He is one with God in life.  He is one with God in His eternal plan of redemption.  He is one with God in judgment of sin.  There is nothing that Jesus and God are not the same on.  He is God.

      He is always dependable to be who He is.  He is the same eternally.  Before anything other than God existed, He was.  It is impossible for Jesus to fail to be who He is.  It is impossible for Him to not do what He promises to do.  He forgives all who come to Him humbly and sincerely for the forgiveness of their sins.  Everyone.  He forgives all the sins we give to Him.  He wraps all His children up in His righteousness so that they are acceptable to God.  He keeps all of His children securely in His righteousness who stay yielded and obedient to Him.  He is the Alpha and Omega of our salvation.  Praise His holy name!

      He is unfailing and forever faithful, watching over us to protect us and help us.  Because He is God, we never have to worry about His dependability.  We never have to worry about His availability.  We never have to worry about His love for us or His desires for us.  His heart for us is always for our good.  No matter what we go through in life, Jesus wants us to learn and grow through it for our good.  His desire for us is always for our holiness of heart, for without holiness no one shall see God.  What He does within us to change us is always for our good.  Praise His holy name!

      Jesus is our Everlasting Father.  Some day we shall see Him on His throne in heaven and bow before Him in worship if we remain faithful to Him.  Some day He will place a crown of righteousness on our heads and declare us good and faithful servants who are worthy to be with Him for all of eternity.  Some day we will behold Him in all His splendor and glory and join in the heavenly choir singing forth His praises.  Praise His holy name!  Jesus, our Everlasting Father!