During this Advent Season, I journeyed each day using Handel’s Messiah as my guide. On Christmas Day I ended with the Hallelujah Chorus which seemed so fitting for the celebration of our Savior’s birth. The third and last portion of the Messiah focuses on Christ’s return and reign. I could not leave this wonderful piece without including a few more days in Part 3. It begins with Job 19:25-26. Job is in discussion with his friends who encourage suffering Job to curse and reject God. Job however, relies upon God’s 
justice and speaks these words of encouragement to his friends that echo throughout the ages.
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,”
How has your year gone? How did you face the trials that the year brought? Did you see time like Job as a journey that is led by hope in your Redeemer? Or did you get bogged down in the daily struggle and lose sight of who was walking with you each day and who was there for you to lean upon? Job had confidence that He served a living God that will someday reign on earth. Even if he dies before this happens, he has the faith that he will live to see God. Do you share that conviction with Job? Peter shares our hope in Christ and echos Job’s conviction in 1 Peter 1:3-7. Trials of life come but our hope remains steadfast in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Let’s end this year by turning our focus back upon God, claiming the assurance and Hope of Job, that our Redeemer truly Lives!
Linda
I was thinking this morning about the designation ‘Black Friday’. It seems that since the 1950’s the day after Thanksgiving has been called ‘Black Friday’. It began as a term to describe the crowds, like the street was black with pedestrians. It then became a day to retailers signifying when they began to turn a profit and moved from the ‘red’ into the ‘black’ as the volume of their sales increased. In the Bible the blackest Friday would be the day of the crucifixion. It was the day when the skies turned black and darkness covered the land. “
in communion with Him and have our sin’s forgiven. We are free to live a life in Christ that is pleasing to God that is free from the penalty of death brought on by sin. That Black Friday was the best one in history for you and me.
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worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
As we approach this wonderful holiday time, take time to put words and thoughts to your thanks both to your family and to God. Thank Him for all He has done, is doing and will do for you. He is an awesome God worthy of all our praises!
In Colossians Paul talks about specific areas in our lives that should create thankfulness within us. “
representative of Christ because of His sacrifice for us.
heart with gratefulness and may your times of sharing about Christ remind you that you speak for Him to others and cause you to give thanks though Him.
In Deuteronomy 33:29 the LORD gave 2 names by which God is known- the Glorious Sword and the Shield. Previously I wrote about the Glorious Sword but today my focus is on God’s name-the Shield. “
Ephesians 6:16 “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” God is a Shield against Satan’s arrows or missiles.
As a believer, God promises to be the Shield in your life. American Civil war hero, Stonewall Jackson, claimed God as his shield and was so thankful. How about you? Be encouraged today!
Two new names of God appear in Deuteronomy 33:29, Glorious Sword and Shield. “
go into battle with God’s sword-the Word of God as our offensive weapon. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” God’s sword can cut through anything physically or spiritually. Lastly, in the book of Revelation the image of God’s glorious sword is in the mouth of Jesus combining both images of a physical sword and a sword of the Words of God. Revelation 1:16 “In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” Revelation 19:15 describes Jesus as an avenger and judge for Holy God’s honor and hatred of sin, “Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.“
Jealous does not seem an appropriate attribute to associate with God. However, that is exactly what God calls himself in Exodus 34:14. “Do not worship any other god, for the 
bear much fruit in our lives. John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” He alone is the source of our power for living. In John 15:10 Jesus tells us that abiding involves keeping His commandments- loving and worshiping only Him. “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
God revealed the attribute of His eternality to Abraham in Genesis 21:33 “Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and 
Most people who have opened a Bible or been exposed as a young child have heard of the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. Many more have seen the movie ‘Exodus’ about Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt with Pharaoh hot on their trail. Today’s blog is about our miraculous God who again parted waters for the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering. Joshua 3 tells of the nation of Israel, led by Joshua, poised to enter Canaan but needing to cross the Jordan River. It was flood season so the river was raging. The Lord of All the earth told Joshua to have the priests carry the arc of the covenant in front. “Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan.” Joshua 3:11 (The arc was very sacred and contained the 10 Commandment tablets, a jar of manna and Aaron’s budding rod. It was covered with gold and had 2 cherubim on top with wings spread creating the mercy seat. It was carried on poles through rings by the priests and no one touched it.) When the priests got to the edge of the raging Jordan and touched the water, the waters parted. “ And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the 
Do you ever think about where God is? In the Old Testament God came to dwell in the wilderness Tabernacle filling it with His Shekinah glory. As they traveled in the wilderness God went with them guiding their way with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. When they had their camp set up, God dwelt in the tabernacle in their midst. Exodus 40:34-35 “
18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, 
do, God promises He will send His Holy Spirit to abide or live with us. He will be with us to guide and comfort, strengthen and love us from the inside out. God is There with us.
Fearless Living 