John 1:11-12,14
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NAS)
Merry Christmas!
From the humble birth in a manger in the city of Bethlehem Jesus came to bring salvation to the entire world. Leaving the glory of heaven and coming to earth He provided for the Nation of Israel a Savior, but they rejected Jesus. God had chosen Israel above all the nations to be a kingdom of priests in order that they might introduce Him to every nation and tribe. They failed to accept their mission. They then rejected the Savior sent to save them.
But God in His great love for all humanity made it possible that through believing everyone could become His child. If you receive Jesus, by faith, as your Lord and Savior you can become a child of God. You simply have to believe. What a wonderful gift God has given to you through His Son. God asks you only to believe. Won’t you receive Him now? What a great time at this Christmas season to become a believer in Jesus.
I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
From A Manger To A Kingdom #42
Luke 1:30-33
30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shallname Him Jesus.
32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end." (NAS)
Christmas is about Jesus. Jesus is the Son born to the virgin Mary. He was God in human flesh. The good news of His birth was announced to Mary in the midst of her fear, questioning, and elation. How can it be that a simple virgin should have the child who would be the King of Israel and the King of the whole world?
Mary did not understand, but likely you don’t either. The miracle of miracles became reality, the God of the universe and creator of the world was to become a man and live on the earth. His kingdom would never come to the end, because His kingdom would be found in the hearts of people who by faith trust Him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
No wonder Mary pondered these things in her heart. During this Christmas season ponder in your heart that Jesus is able to establish His kingdom in you. Christmas after all is about Jesus.
I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.
30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shallname Him Jesus.
32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end." (NAS)
Christmas is about Jesus. Jesus is the Son born to the virgin Mary. He was God in human flesh. The good news of His birth was announced to Mary in the midst of her fear, questioning, and elation. How can it be that a simple virgin should have the child who would be the King of Israel and the King of the whole world?
Mary did not understand, but likely you don’t either. The miracle of miracles became reality, the God of the universe and creator of the world was to become a man and live on the earth. His kingdom would never come to the end, because His kingdom would be found in the hearts of people who by faith trust Him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
No wonder Mary pondered these things in her heart. During this Christmas season ponder in your heart that Jesus is able to establish His kingdom in you. Christmas after all is about Jesus.
I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Why Question #41
Difficult times have always been a cause for even God’s people to question and yearn for answers. Several times in Psalms King David asks the inevitable question, “Why?” The author of Habakkuk writes a whole book in the Bible asking, “God where are you?”
Israel had been captured by the Midianites and were again asking God, “…If the Lord is with us why then has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about?” Judges 6:13 (NLT)
This may be the question in your mind today. The answer to all these questions is simply that God is in ultimate control. No matter what we face God is always there.
Romans 11:36 (NLT) says it clearly, “For everything comes from Him, everything exists by His power, and is intended for His glory. To Him be the glory forevermore.” Our comfort, hope, and encouragement is found not in material things, governments, economics, anyone or anything else. Our hope is in the Lord.
I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.
Israel had been captured by the Midianites and were again asking God, “…If the Lord is with us why then has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about?” Judges 6:13 (NLT)
This may be the question in your mind today. The answer to all these questions is simply that God is in ultimate control. No matter what we face God is always there.
Romans 11:36 (NLT) says it clearly, “For everything comes from Him, everything exists by His power, and is intended for His glory. To Him be the glory forevermore.” Our comfort, hope, and encouragement is found not in material things, governments, economics, anyone or anything else. Our hope is in the Lord.
I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
My Pile of Stones #40
Joshua 4:6
6 "Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' (NAS)
What do these stones mean to you? What a question. Have you contemplated the meaning of that phrase to Israel? They had just crossed the Jordan River on dry ground during the time of a flood. They watched as the waters of the river stood still and mounded up as the two million or so Israelites crossed over on a dry river bed. They then erected a memorial to God and to the victory of the safe crossing by placing twelve stones in the middle of the river. The question lingering over the stones was, "What do these stones mean to you?" To Israel they meant a finality to forty years of wilderness wanderings. It meant freedom in the Promised Land. It meant God was faithful.
Do you have a pile of rocks somewhere? Not a literal pile, but a place where you watched God at work and took time to build a memorial. Why not find the middle of the river and build a memorial to God for yourself. It will be a ceaseless reminder that God was faithful to you in the past and that He will be there for you now and always.
I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.
6 "Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' (NAS)
What do these stones mean to you? What a question. Have you contemplated the meaning of that phrase to Israel? They had just crossed the Jordan River on dry ground during the time of a flood. They watched as the waters of the river stood still and mounded up as the two million or so Israelites crossed over on a dry river bed. They then erected a memorial to God and to the victory of the safe crossing by placing twelve stones in the middle of the river. The question lingering over the stones was, "What do these stones mean to you?" To Israel they meant a finality to forty years of wilderness wanderings. It meant freedom in the Promised Land. It meant God was faithful.
Do you have a pile of rocks somewhere? Not a literal pile, but a place where you watched God at work and took time to build a memorial. Why not find the middle of the river and build a memorial to God for yourself. It will be a ceaseless reminder that God was faithful to you in the past and that He will be there for you now and always.
I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)