Category: Advent

Jesus, Long awaited Savior, Arrives

nofearlindaLeave a comment

As you have gone through this Christmas season and relived the vibrant story of Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, Elizabeth, the shepherds, the angels and even wicked King Herod, I pray you have seen the hand and character of God in all aspects of this story. This is the story of God’s Son’s arrival on earth and was totally orchestrated by God since the fall of man.

The attribute I have chosen for this Christmas Day is glorious. The glory of God is the total of all His attributes. God’s glory is displayed in the beauty and wisdom of His creation. Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Throughout history , God has revealed His glory to His people through His power, mercy, grace, judgement, holiness, love and every other attributes. In the Old Testament we saw God’s glory in the cloud, known as the Shekinah glory, and He guided His people in the wilderness and filled the tabernacle and later the temple. In the New Testament, God’s glory is revealed in His Son Jesus Christ who reveals God’s glory completely.

Hebrews 1:2-4 describes Jesus the Son, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” Faith in the Son is essential as we are reminded in Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

So what is this faith? Hebrews 11:1 describes faith this way, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” It is intangible and yet we know we have is as the Holy Spirit confirms with our spirit that we belong to Him. Romans 8:16, “ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” We also know this thing called faith is essential, Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Make this the best Christmas ever by putting your faith in Jesus, the Son of God. He loves you and is waiting for you to come to Him.

Merry Christmas!! To God be the Glory, All things He has done!

Linda

God Reveals His Saving Power

nofearlindaLeave a comment

There are several attributes of God we see in this portion of our story as God guides Joseph, Mary and Jesus through a dream after the Wise men depart.

Matthew 2:13-16  “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” God had provided the means for their escape to Egypt with the costly gifts the Wise Men had brought. The providential care of God is all over this scene.

God knew about murderous Herod’s plans as He is omniscient and guided Joseph an his family to safety in Egypt. Matthew 2:16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.” We do not know why God did not stop this killing of innocent lives. Placing Jesus in Egypt was the right thing as prophecy had foretold God would call His son out of Egypt, verse 15.

After the passage of some time and their living in Egypt, Matthew 2:19-22 occurred “ But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.” This placed Jesus and his family in Galilee and the town of Nazareth where he safely grew up until he started his ministry to the world.

Here we saw God and His sovereign power and wisdom protecting the young family and guiding them to safety. The attribute that comes to mind in all of this is Savior. God protected our savior and saved him from the wicked king Herod. He was Jesus’ Savior as Jesus is our Savior. God reached down and protected them just as He reached down through Jesus to rescue us from the penalty of our sins. They had no power to save themselves and neither do we. We were dead in our sins until God sent Jesus to save us by dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus is our SAVIOR. In this story we see how God saved Jesus and in turn saved us! Our savior is powerful and gives us, through faith in Him, the power to resist sin through His indwelling Holy Spirit. We are saved for eternity! Praise God. I particularly love Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” and Romans 5:8 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Both verses show our utter helplessness in the face of sin and God’s amazing grace and mercy towards us.

The question for today is, Do you know Jesus as your SAVIOR? He won’t come to you and save you unless you ask. You need to humble yourself before Him and repent of your sins THEN He will save you just as He promises. Claim 1 John 1:9 “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Know that this is true and that God is faithful every day in every way. Cling to His faithfulness, Hebrews 10:23 “ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

Thank you Jesus for coming as our Savior and Thank you God for sending Him. We are blessed!!

Linda

Where Do you Get Your Wisdom? Be Wise about it!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Herod did not know of Jesus’ birth.  Since the Magi had traveled from the east starting when they saw the Bethlehem Star in the sky when Jesus was born,  their arrival could have been 1-2 years after Jesus’ birth.  It would have taken considerable time to come from the east, perhaps Persia.  It would have been customary to come to the current king to inquire of this new baby king-where he was. They probably thought Herod, the current king, would surely know where this baby was, however, He did not.   So they continued their journey….. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 

gold-frankincense-and-myrrh

The gifts they brought were fitting for a king:  gold, incense and myrrh.    The myrrh was presented to Jesus at this birth and was also given to him at the crucifixion as it was a pain reliever.  Jesus refused to dull his pain by taking any (Mark 15:23).   Then the disciples used a mixture of spices and myrrh to prepare His body for burial (John 19:39).  The wise men had followed the star for hundreds of miles, knew that God was directing them towards the new king and undoubtedly realized the greed and jealousy that Herod possessed.  Herod had listened to them but had not been eager to come with them even the short distance to Bethlehem.  He let them do the finding so then he could take care of this new rival king.   So…when God warned, they listened and acted.  12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

wise God

God is wise.  He is not simply all-knowing.  He uses his knowledge to do exactly what is right.  God’s Word is full of His wisdom.  Both His plan of redemption which sent Jesus, and His creation are perfectly wise.  All wisdom comes from God.  Job 12:13 ““To God belong wisdom and power;  counsel and understanding are his.”   These traveling Magi or wise men came seeking the Savior.  God in His wisdom led them to come at just the right time and to the exact place He had chosen.  God protected both the men and Jesus’ family from evil Herod who He knew would seek to kill the babe.  The wise men were truly wise as they listened to God.

What about you?  Do you seek to know God and be filled with His wisdom that is in His Word?  Do you have listening hears to hear God’s wisdom when He gives it to you in prayer or through His Word?   Through faith in Jesus we can know God and understand the wise God we serve.  Ephesians 1:7-8  In him(Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,    Knowing Jesus opens up the wisdom of God to believers so  we can read His Word with understanding, seek to know Him better and live a life filled with godly wisdom.  Thank you Jesus.

ephesians 1 8

Linda

Where is God? Look around…

nofearlindaLeave a comment

I love the portion of the story we read today as it shows the Omnipresence of God throughout the world. The visiting magi- priests, scribes, experts from Persia, knew of the birth of a king. They were probably familiar with the Old Testament, as God had the Jews exiled to Babylon hundreds of years before and when they returned not all of the Jews returned to Jerusalem. Wisemen like Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah had a profound impact on their culture. Now wise men arrive in Jerusalem after about an 800 mile journey from Babylon which would have taken months.

Matthew 2:1-8 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

These wise men undoubtedly knew of King Herod’s reputation and knew he could be very cruel and brutal. I am sure they were cautious after King Herod told them in secret to find out where the child was so he could worship him too. God was present in this entire journey and each interaction. Being Omnipresent God is present everywhere. There is no where one can go either physically or spiritually that God cannot be. God is with his children no matter where they are. Thankfully, Satan can only be in one place at a time but God is present everywhere at all times. God was with the wise men as they searched for the star and the truths behind it. He was with them on the journey and brought them to the right place at the right time. God was with them in spirit too as he gave them discernment so they were not deceived by Herod.

When I consider God’s omnipresence, I am comforted. One of my favorite verses in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” We are assured that God is with us continually. Hagar met God in the wilderness after she had run away. Genesis 16:14 “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” God sees us wherever we are and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. David was aware of God’s presence and acknowledged his omnipresence in his life. Psalm 139: 3 “You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” Verses 7-10 “Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.” I love David’s conclusion- God will hold me fast as He knows where I am and what I need.

Do you trust the omnipresence of God in your life? Do you think there are times God has forgotten you or is not aware of your circumstances? If so, reread Psalm 139 and catch the fervor of David’s conviction that God is with us and aware of us at all times. Claim Deuteronomy 31:6 over your life and stand on its truth.

Linda

4th Sunday of Advent, Love

nofearlindaLeave a comment

For today’s scripture I chose a familiar passage from Isaiah that describes our Lord. Isaiah 9:6-7 tells us that He will come as a child but his potential for impact will be enormous. All of creation will rest upon Him and His kingdom will be eternal.

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,  Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

The attribute today is love as only a love so deep for us would motivate God to send His only Son, Jesus, to redeem us from our sins. God has always been love. God’s love never fails. God loves the world. When we receive His Son as our Savior, we can then love God as we were made to do. As we light the Love Candle in our Advent wreath, we are reminded of God’s great love for us. 1 John 4:16 “ So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

As you reflect on the Love of God that caused Him to send Jesus to provide for us, to redeem us and reconcile us to Him, say a prayer of thanks for his generous love. John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” It was love for you and me that motivated God to send Jesus. I am continually touched by the message of Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He loves me that much! He loves you too. Turn to Him this season and feel His love.

Linda

Anna Receives Mercy from God

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Luke indicated in 2:22-23 that Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus went to the temple to offer a sacrifice for their new born son and for Mary’s purification. Law required that she wait 40 days after giving birth to a son to enter the temple and had to offer a sacrifice for her purification. This was an important event as they were consecrating, dedicating their new born son to God. All firstborn be it animals or people were to be dedicated to the Lord. During this event, they first met Simeon who had been told by the Lord that before he died he would see his Lord and Savior. He trusted God and believed God’s Words that he would indeed see his savior. He knew God to be a promise keeping God.

After their encounter with Simeon and hearing his prophesy, they encountered Anna a prophetess.

Luke 2:36-38  “There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Doing the math, she was over 91 years old and since the temple was very large, she lived there daily spending her time worshipping and praying. Being a prophetess, she would have received prophecies from the Lord. Other such women in the Bible were Miriam, Moses’ sister, Deborah the fearless leader during the time of the Judges, Huldah, Hannah and the daughters of Philip. Anna’s encounter with Jesus, Mary and Joseph was brief but revealing as God showed her the one who would redeem the Jews.

What can we learn from Anna and her encounter with Jesus? God knew the exact time in history that His Son would be revealed to the world. He placed Anna there at that moment to confirm for us that Jesus was His Son and had a divine purpose. He was not a random child of Jewish parents, but God’s Son. He was the one through whom God would redeem all mankind. God chose devoted followers to speak of Jesus’ coming work in the world. She was an elder, revered and respected for her lifestyle, devotion to God and her ability to speak prophetic words from God. Her appearance in the life Jesus was confirming for Mary and Joseph and showed how much God loved them. God wanted them to know, along with Anna, that Jesus was His Son and they were a part of His story. God was merciful to included them in His work to save mankind.

What do you know of God’s mercy? God in His mercy does not give us what our sins deserve. He restrains evil, holds back sin and limits the extent of our pain. His gospel goes into places where they have turned their back on Him and yet He seeks the lost and desires that they come to Him. When they turn to Him, in His mercy, He offers forgiveness, restoration and eternal life. God showed mercy towards the children of Israel by rescuing them from slavery in Egypt, bringing them back from Babylon after 70 years of captivity and bring Jesus to reconcile us from our sins. When we repent and turn to Him, He gives forgiveness we do not deserve. Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Amazingly God can forgive and remove our sins. I love the image in Micah 7:19 “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” I marvel at God’s mercy when you consider the greatness and power of God and His love and compassion towards us. Psalm 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

Do you presume upon the mercy of God– thinking He will always be there, I can wait to ask forgiveness? Mercy and grace are closely related. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve and Mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve. Don’t take God for granted. When you see or experience God’s mercy in your life be thankful and acknowledge His forgiving and merciful character. Humble Anna waited patiently and God was merciful towards her by allowing her to see Jesus. God is merciful to each of us too, and we just need to open our eyes and hearts to experience his mercy.

Linda

God’s Goodness Abounds

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Jesus said, “ Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Luke 24:44  Jesus came and lived the perfectly sinless life which meant that He made all the right sacrifices at holy days, was circumcised, and followed all the Jewish customs and laws.  In addition, all that was prophesied about Him, all the work He came to accomplish was Yes in Christ. 

Today’s story continues in Luke 2:21-25 “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”   These actions are what we would expect from Mary and Joseph as they would want to observe all the right customs that were required by the Law of Moses with their new child.

Luke 2:25-37 tells us what happened when they came to the temple to present Jesus to the Lord. 

Simeon

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31     that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

The attribute of God that comes to mind with this story is goodness. God was so good to Simeon to allow him see Jesus before his life was over. God kept His promise to Simeon and God in His goodness will do the same for you and me. We see God’s goodness in His love and faithfulness. God is good through and through and no one is good but God. Mark 10:18 “And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” God is compassionate and satisfies those in need out of His goodness. He offers hope and refuge. All of God’s children experience His goodness even when bad things happen. God promises in Romans 8:28 “ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

How do you see God’s goodness in your life? Do you feel the compassion of others towards you and find things work out for good even when it looks bleak? I have found that in tough circumstances I need to trust God even more as I can’t see why the dark threads of my life are needed. Someday I will understand and see God was building my character and was planning good for me. I claim Jeremiah 29:11 over my life “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God’s plans are good and I need to walk in trust fearlessly day by day!

May God’s goodness overflow towards you today.

Linda

Impartial God chooses Shepherds

nofearlinda1 Comment

Have you ever considered why God choose lowly shepherds to receive the message of the arrival of His Son to earth? In pondering this, I thought how this so fits with God’s character. God is impartial and wants all people from all walks of life to know the good news that Jesus’ coming brings.

Luke 2:15-20 “When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The shepherds were moved to seek out Jesus when given the announcement and directions on where to find this babe, the long awaited Messiah. The arrival of the Savior had been foretold for generations and was the hope of Israel. Being able to physically go and worship this new born king was an amazing privilege. They shared with Mary and Joseph what the angels had told them about Jesus being the Messiah which would have confirmed to them yet again, the message they had both received from the angels. I love that Mary treasured these thing and saved them in her heart to recall and relive over and over. That shows a mother’s tender love for her child and her own awe at who this child was and would become for all Israel.

When we look at who was chosen to be Jesus’ earthly parents, and those who were called to receive God’s joyous message of the arrival of His Son, we see our God is impartial. Mary and Joseph were not wealthy merchants as Joseph was a carpenter. The shepherds tended their flocks by day and night. This means that God saves and uses people regardless of what they have done or will do. He does not discriminate or judge if someone is wealthy, poor, smart or not so smart. God is always fair. There is nothing anyone can do to force God’s hand, or put God in their debt. God will always do right by every person, in every situation. Scripture points this out in many passages. Here are a few: Acts 10:34-35 “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Romans 2:11 “For God shows no partiality.” Ephesians 6:8 “ because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.”

So what does the impartiality of God mean for you and me? God loves us each of us unconditionally and has a plan and purpose for each of us. We are individuals in God’s eyes and no one is better or more loved than another. We as earthly parents strive for this in our lives but we have a lot of baggage and get tied up in issues. God is not like that and is always just and fair. I can rely upon God’s justice and know He always stands for truth. We can depend upon God to be who He says He will be at all times, judging with justice and truth.

I hope this fact about God’s character encourages you and allows you to lean into Him knowing He can and will use you to accomplish His purposes. Claim Ephesians 2:10 in your life, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” All believers are His and will be used by Him for His work!! Shepherds and carpenters and you too!

Linda

Catch a glimpse of God’s Glory

nofearlindaLeave a comment

I can’t even imagine the brightness of the angels in the sky. Their glory would only have been a fraction of what God’s glory will be like when we see Him in heaven. This scene shows God’s excitement and joy over the birth of His Son and the long awaited arrival of the availability of peace, hope, forgiveness and salvation for all people in Jesus.

Luke 2:8-14 “ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

The attribute that comes to mind when reading and visualizing this scene in my mind is Holy. God is holy and is high and lifted up. He is set apart from His creation. God is whole and perfect in goodness and righteousness. No one is like God. God sets apart His children , those who believe in Jesus, for Himself and desires, no commands us to be holy as He is holy. We cannot achieve holiness with Jesus. He is the one who washes us clean and presents us holy and acceptable before Holy God.

God’s holiness and brightness shine forth in various passages in the Old Testament. In Exodus Moses encountered God in a burning bush. Exodus 3: 2-5 “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Even the ground around the bush where God was speaking was considered holy ground. Isaiah had a vision of God’s throne room in Isaiah 6:1-3 “ In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” This shows us that the whole of heaven is filled with his glory and holiness.

Isaiah repeatedly refers to God as the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 43:3a “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Jesus speaks of God the Father as holy in John 17:11  “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” Jesus prayed for all of us to be united and work as one for Him. Knowing Jesus and being indwelt by His Holy Spirit we are anointed by Him. 1 John 2:20 “ But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”

How are you seeking to be holy for Him? In Leviticus God has Moses tell the people, 19:2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” God desires that we live a holy life. This is something we cannot do on our own. Through the power of the Holy Spirit within, we can seek to walk with Jesus and put aside sin. Paul explains the transformation we have through Christ to do this in Romans 6:1-4 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Live the new life in Christ! You are a new creature, a new creation in Him according to 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Live it today and claim His promised transformation in your life!

Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Linda

God’s Grace in the Stable for Us!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s scripture reminds us of God’s infinite grace towards us.

Luke 2:6-7 “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.“

Why did I choose Grace as God’s attribute for this part of the Christmas Story? God is gracious and kind to those who do not deserve it. God longs to forgive His people, and reached out to us with the offer of salvation. God is compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. God shows grace to all people and gives good gifts even to those who do not love Him. He is the giver of life and brings families, sunshine, rain, music and hope to all mankind.

God in His grace brought Jesus into this world to save us from our sins and reconcile us to Himself. We did nothing to deserve this, but God in His love sent Jesus for us. Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He sent Jesus to live among us to we could know more about God and learn to trust in Him more fully. He did that even though we were indeed sinners without hope. When I think of his humble birth, in a stable, I am overwhelmed by His love for me. He came and lived here among us in our sin-filled world, suffered and died to I could live in faith believing and knowing His love and care.

God’s grace abounded towards Mary and Joseph that night. There were no rooms to be had but a stable was provided. They were warm and safe as Mary delivered Jesus. There was even a manger, cradle, for Mary to use. God was with them on the journey and was there with them in the stable. John 1:14 tells us Jesus was filled with God’s grace, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” That night in the stable, the grace of God came to us!

Where have you seen God’s grace in your life? Ephesians 2:8-9 gives us a place to start, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” and Romans 3:24 “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Martin Luther discovered God’s grace in Romans and transformed the thinking of His day. My faith and salvation are a gift I did not deserve them and are given by and through God’s gracious heart towards me. The hope we have in Christ is transforming and causes us to live for Him and with Him. In Romans 12:6 Paul reminds us that because of God’s grace towards us, He has given us gifts through His indwelling Holy Spirit, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.”

So how are you using the gifts God has given you through faith in Jesus? Are you seeking to use your gifts of teaching, speaking, writing, helping, carrying or counseling, etc. for His glory? When we use our gifts for His work He blesses us with his love and grace. John 1:16 tells us through faith we receive grace constantly from Him, “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” God is constantly blessing us with his unmerited favor which is His grace.

As you go about this busy season, look at things more carefully and see where God’s gracious hand is upon you. It may be in a smile, a welcoming friend, a song, an unexpected gift, but we are blessed by Him each and everyday! God is with you in your ‘stable’ when there was no room at the inn. Rest in Him and know He is with you and loves you!

Linda