Mary and Joseph could find no lodging as they arrived in Bethlehem, so instead the baby Jesus was born in a stable, with animals standing quietly by. The greatest birth ever, wasn’t witnessed by kings, but only by cattle and donkeys. The birth of the Christ child wasn’t heralded by throngs of people, but only by the soft bleating of the sheep nearby. There were no great fireworks set off at his birth…only a brilliant star rising in the East.
Month: December 2013
Isaiah 9:6 ” …And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
This passage sums up the extraordinary aspects of God. He is magnificent in wisdom…all powerful…existing eternally…our shelter of safety and security forever. Praise His glorious name!
Isaiah 7:14 “…the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Immanuel…God with us, showed that this was no ordinary baby boy to be born, for this word was identified as “the true owner of the land.” Even the way in which Isaiah wrote this passage suggested divinity…showing the miraculous way Jesus would come into the world.
Revelation 19:10 ” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Jesus declared with absolute authority concerning His Father…He bore witness about God as only He could do. But with Jesus in your heart and the Holy Spirit dwelling within, you too can tell forth God’s Word to His people. So many times God gives us a word for someone, but we sit and rationalize it away and do nothing. You may not consider yourself a prophet, but that doesn’t mean God can’t still use you.
Philippians 1:6 “…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Have you ever prayed for a person to never see them again…ever wondering what happened, and how the Lord worked in their life? This verse should then give you hope and encouragement…for your prayer was not only heard, but God is still perfecting His holiness in that person at this very moment, and will continue to do so until the end.
Galatians 1:14 “…for the traditions of my fathers.”
During this time of year, we focus a lot on traditions and customs that have been handed down from generation to generation. For my husband’s side of the family, it’s all about Norwegian foods…for me it’s baking lots of Mid-western treats. We all have those traditions that mean Christmas to us…whether simple or elaborate. For it’s those traditions and customs that give us a sense of belonging and bring us great comfort. Why don’t you share a Christmas tradition memory with someone today.
Psalm 84: 5-7 ” Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the Autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”
Illness and death, unfortunately, don’t take a break during the Holidays, and for many, Christmas is a very bittersweet time of reflection and memories of loved ones that have passed on. The Psalmist wanted to convey that our strength is drawn from the Lord, and while we travel through our Valley of Baca…also called the Valley of Weeping… our tears are watering the desert landscape and causing springs of hope and peace to well up.
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
You’ll never know how a kind gesture will impact another person. What you consider to be simple or just a tradition during the Holidays you do, may make Christmas very special for someone else. Doing good and sharing with those out in the community is also a wonderful way of teaching children that it’s more blessed to give than to receive at Christmas time.
Psalm 37:8 ” Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil.”
One of the greatest tools Satan has in his bag of tricks is to bait us into thinking we’ve been talked about behind our backs. Oh how our minds go wild with indignation and anger as we sit and fume about these “perceived” verbal assaults. We’ll brood and sulk over things we “think” people have said, not knowing if any of its true. And Satan sits there and laughs hysterically …for most of the time, our name wasn’t even mentioned at all.
I Corinthians 13:13 ” And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
These are what last – trust, confidence and love in the Lord. But the one that Jesus spoke of as the greatest, was love…In Matthew 22: 37-40 He said, ” Love the Lord…and love your neighbor as yourself.” Our faith expresses itself through love…this love for one another comes from Him…and we show our love for Him by loving others.
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