That tiny baby in the manger was fully man…and fully God. What the Old Covenant and animal sacrifices were unable to do, Jesus came to accomplish…once, for all. God offered His Son as an atonement for our sins. But Jesus was also fully man, sharing in our humanity…He looked like a baby, cried like one, acted like one. The biggest difference was that this baby had come to save us from our sins.
Month: December 2012
Micah 5:2 ” But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times.”
The Prophet Micah was given the privilege of revealing the birthplace of the Messiah, and 700 years later the chief priests quoted him to King Herod when he asked where Christ was to be born. Like Jesus, Micah also came from a very insignificant town, and though he was called one of the Minor Prophets, his prophecies carried tremendous importance for the world. Our Lord continues to do this today…He uses unimportant people who think they are worthless to do mighty things for Him. Never dismiss anything the Lord has laid upon your heart as insignificant or irrelevant…just be obedient.
Isaiah 46: 4 ” Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
“Getting old is not for sissies!” I tell many an elderly patient. With advancing age can come chronic health problems, loneliness from loss of a spouse, and limited independence due to physical disabilities. But God doesn’t forget us when we’re old and gray…He’s still there supporting, and carrying our burdens. He’s there to refresh and lift us up as we go through each day looking towards Him.
Ephesians 6:2 ” Honor your father and mother- which is the first commandment with a promise.”
As I was making one of my husband’s favorite holiday cookies today, it reminded me of a few years back when his twin brother was visiting over Christmas. One evening over Dinner we started reminiscing about Christmas treats our Mothers made when we were children. Both of them talked raptly about one certain cookie they remembered. As I asked questions about it, there seemed to be a very similar cookie my Mother use to make a Christmas. So I called her, got the recipe, and made them for the “boys”. They ate them, and they were very polite, but my cookies just didn’t measure up to their Mother’s. That’s when I called their Sister and got the “official” recipe…you guessed it- the recipes were identical! I just couldn’t add their Mother’s love, or all the fond memories to my batch of cookies.
Acts 9: 3-4 ” As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ “
Have you ever had a “Road to Damascus moment”? A time when the Lord finally gets your full attention..and usually it’s not in a good way either. The Lord will do what it takes to get our undivided concentration, whether by situation or person. I’ve heard it said that sometimes we have to be in the gutter before we can look up. When we’ve come to the end of ourselves… when He has eliminated all distractions… then and only then can we clearly hear the Voice of the Lord.
Jeremiah 31:31 ” The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”
The Jewish people had the old Covenant that had been given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But now it was being prophesied that a new Covenant would supersede it. This new Covenant came about in a very unconventional and unlikely way. No one could have imagined the little baby born in a stable in Bethlehem would be the author and finisher of this new Covenant…a Covenant of peace presided over by the Prince of Peace Himself.
Mark 5:34 ” He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’ “
For 12 years this woman was considered unclean. She was shunned by others and barred from going into the Temple. Sadly, she had spent all her money on treatments that had not worked, and instead of getting better she was now so weak it took all she could do to fight the crowds to get close to Jesus. But in an act of sheer desperation, with total, absolute belief that she could be delivered from this disease, she reached out and touched His cloak. Simultaneously, Jesus felt power leave Him as she was healed. That same Dynamis power is still there today… dry your tears on the hem of His garment and be made whole.
Proverbs 14:30 ” A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
Even when the world around us is chaotic, we can still be content and at peace within. But it’s when jealousy creeps in that suddenly we’re unhappy and discontented with everything and everyone. Envy can decay away the most stable of relationships, it can cause irreparable damage to people’s reputations and lives. Rotted bones can no longer support body weight…they are brittle, break easily, and can become a life threatening condition for the person…Envy not only affects others, but ourselves.
I Peter 4:10 ” Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
If you’re unsure what your gifts are, ask yourself these questions – What am I talented at, and what things am I passionate about? God gives us gifts that run in conjunction with our personalities and bents. He works with talents and passions we already have within. He won’t give us gifts that are contrary to who we are. Whatever your giftings, you are to care for the needs of others by showing the same loving kindness that Jesus has shown you. Each one of us have different gifts…but we all are to use them to benefit others.
Isaiah 1:18 “…Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”
Snow. We get lots of it here in Idaho, and there’s nothing as beautiful as the sun shining on a new snowfall. Everything is covered with a pristine, white blanket..the dull, drab landscape is transformed into a glorious magnificence. Isaiah wrote that ‘though our sins were like scarlet, they will be white as snow.’ Our sinful life can be transformed by God’s love and mercy. His love can cover our grubby, dirty past with a perfect blanket of white. When snow falls it covers everything…it doesn’t pick and choose where it lands…the same with our Lord…His love and mercy is for everyone, forever changing our lives with a beautiful white blanket of forgiveness.
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