Tag: God

Mary, Looking to God

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We will leave Zachariah and Elizabeth for a bit and turn our attention to Mary. Mary was a young woman who was pledged to marry a Jewish man named Joseph. Like Zachariah, Mary was visited by an angel with a specific message for her. Here is the first part of her story, Luke 1:26-33.

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 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 shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary was visited by the archangel named Gabriel, the same angel who had spoken to Zachariah. We are given times and places where this event occurred. In the sixth month refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Jesus and John were to be close in age. The place Nazareth was located in the region of Galilee and where Mary and Joseph resided. Joseph, her betrothed, was in the line of David which was very important as Messiah was to come from the line of David. Actually both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David. After greeting Mary, the angel first addresses her fear and proclaims she is favored by God. What an amazing message the angel gives to this young unwed girl. She was to have a child, but she was not married and had not known any man. She was perplexed about this but asks her questions of the angel with showing doubt towards God. The encounter continues in Luke 1:34-38

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary does not doubt God’s ability to perform this miracle within her and radiates confidence and hope in her response. She is humble and obedient towards God.

What do we learn about God in this encounter? God shows himself and his power through the angel Gabriel. He appeared to her personally and reassured her that all would be well with her. When given momentous tasks to perform, God attends to the details and gives us reassurances that it will succeed. Maybe it is a complement from a coworker, an unexpected gift or money to see the job done, support from a friend, prayers directed to uplift you by other believers, peace in your mind or heart or an encouraging passage from His Word to motivate you. God uses all those around us to do His bidding and support us. Here he used the miraculous and given the mission, it is an encounters that will last a lifetime. God know exactly what Mary needed to reassure her, and He knows what you need. We just have to be open to His encouragements and looking for them expectantly. God was a personal God to Mary and is personal to you and me. He cares about each of us. Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:7 that God encourages us to give Him our anxieties and worries because He cares about us. “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Good words for Mary as she was told to trust God and good words for us today.

Linda

WOW! Message from God to Zechariah

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The Levites took turns serving in the temple in Jerusalem. Here is what happened to Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, when it was his turn to serve. Luke 1:8-17

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Wow! The angel brought Zechariah heavenly news. Zechariah was afraid as often angelic messengers brought bad news and they were spiritual beings which would frighten anyone. Zechariah was told that he and his aged wife would have child. At their age, this would be a lot to take in and believe as they had tried for many years to have a child. Now at their age, it would be a miracle. This son was to be called John, he would be a joy and a delight- good news to any future parents. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. In Old Testament times, the Spirit of God came upon people for a certain period of time and then would leave. Since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes upon the believer and indwells them forever. So being told that John would have God’s Spirit from birth was an amazing fact. They were also given information about his future mission for the Lord. He would go out in God’s power and call people to repentance. John was to prepare the way for the long awaited Messiah.

I can’t even imagine getting this news. Zechariah was a devout Jew that loved and served God. The joy Zechariah experienced in knowing he would have a part in God’s plan through his son must have been both humbling and exhilarating. Today I focused on the message the angel brought to John as it speaks of God’s Omniscience and compassion for all mankind. God’s plan of redemption was made and carried out through Jesus because He loved us and desired that we be reconciled to Him. Our sin separates us from Him and there is nothing we can do to remedy this situation. Only God could reconnect us. He sent John to proclaim the coming of Messiah and the message that repentance was needed. They had strayed from God and John was to be the wakeup call to stir the Jewish conscience towards faith once more.

Let this Advent season be a wakeup call of your own to turn to Jesus. Seek Him with a repentant heart and let the words of Ezekiel 36:26 resonate in your heart and mind. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ask God for that new heart, renewed faith and openness to do His will in your life. You will be renewed, rejuvenated and experience renovation in your life as never before.

Linda

An Unlikely Start to Advent, but A Necessary Perspective

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As we begin the month of December, we turn our focus on Advent and the birth of our Lord and Savior. Each year for the last 10 years I have written each day in December to help bring myself closer to His celebration and truths instead of focusing on the world’s obsession with buying, gift giving and making or saving money. I pray that my blogs will stimulate your thinking and help you to focus on Jesus with your heart, mind and soul. As I look at the various players in the story of the Lord’s coming and His birth, I want to reflect on God and what the story shows us about His character and especially his great love for us.

Today’s thought about God is that He set His Redemptive Plan in motion when sin entered the world. Only Sovereign God could accomplish this for us. He did it by sending His son Jesus.

The story begins in Genesis 3:14-15. Eve had been enticed by the serpent (the devil) into eating from the tree of good and evil which God had forbidden them to eat. She ate and then gave some to Adam so they both were guilty of disobeying God. God spoke to them- the serpent, Eve and Adam and told them the consequences of their actions. So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock
    and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
    and you will eat dust
    all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.” These words are the first hint in scripture that there will be trouble between the offspring (Jesus) of the woman and those that do not believe. God is saying that regardless of the problems, Jesus will crush him (Satan and his minions). This will come to a conclusion when Christ returns and all are held accountable before Him. Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place  and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,  in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,  to the glory of God the Father.”

All history is about this struggle over sin and its desire to lure, entice, bind and overcome us so that we will not follow God. The original sin that started in the garden overshadows mankind. That is why when Jesus says in John 8:12  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He is showing us a way to leave the darkness brought on by our sin and to walk in His light. Through Jesus, God provides a way for us to be reconciled to Him and get out from under the bondage of sin. Paul exhorts us in Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Faith in Christ frees us from slavery to our sins. John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

So the arrival of Advent bring Christians a time of reflection on all of God’s goodness and the hope of redemption provided by Jesus. We see God’s great love in sending Jesus to save us from our sins. We were in a hopeless state before His coming as there was nothing we could do to get ourselves right with God and erase our sin. We could not be ‘good’ enough to earn God’s favor.

Thank you Jesus for coming.

Linda

Getting Ready for Lent 2023, Come join me on a journey into Isaiah

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As I approach the Lenten Season and prepare my heart, I have been in prayer about what direction God has for my writing. In the past I have done short books in the New Testament, Psalm passages, Attributes of God, provisions I have in Christ, etc. This year God has laid on my heart to dive into the book of Isaiah. I have loved the poetic nature of Isaiah since first studying it with Bible Study Fellowship in about 2005. A lot of it seems very difficult to understand and filled with judgement, yet it remains one of my favorites as it constantly reminds me of God’s power, might and love. There are promises to claim from this wonderful book and you gain a glimpse of God not seen elsewhere in regard to God’s person and His Son. It is filled with prophecies that were fulfilled in Christ when he was on earth and more looking towards His future return. It is a book of hope that can and does speak to us today.

Here are some fun facts I learned recently:

The Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 Chapters.

Isaiah is easily divided into 2 sections like the Old and New Testaments. Chapters 1-39 are about the coming judgement for sin and the anticipation of the hope that is coming in Christ (like the Old Testament message) and 40-66 tells us of the coming Christ and his kingdom (like the New Testament). The first section has 39 chapters like the Old Testament has 39 books and the second section has 27 chapters like the 27 books of the New Testament.

The book of Isaiah is often referred to as the gospel of the Old Testament as its message shows us the coming gospel message and its messenger, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 1:18-20 gives us a glimpse into God’s heart and His provision of hope. He desires that we come to Him for cleansing and renewal. He then warns us that without intervention from the Holy One of Israel, God Almighty, we will be perish. Christ is the Holy one, the Only one, who can Save us.

“Come now, let’s settle this,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
    I will make them as white as wool.
19 If you will only obey me,
    you will have plenty to eat.
20 But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
    you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Isn’t that what Lent is all about? It is a time for humbling ourselves before Almighty, Holy God with a repentant heart. Seeking Him and what He has for us, redemption, and cleansing which we cannot obtain on our own.

As we look towards Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season may you anticipate a message from God for your heart from Isaiah.

Linda

Connected in Christ = our privilege, His purpose

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What was God’s purpose for Jesus after He died on the cross and rose from the dead?  Ephesians 1:20 tells us how and where God placed Jesus, “that (the resurrection power of God)  raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.   The next verses God tells us of Jesus’ ultimate authority,  “21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.”   Lastly in verses 22-23 God tells us why He placed Jesus there, “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.”   

Ephesians 1 22-23 the-body-christIt is important for us to know that Jesus’ work on the cross finished the issue of salvation and forgiveness,  but not His work in the world now and in the future.  God has a plan for all time that He reveals in the Bible.  He refers to all believers here as the church, elsewhere the Bride of Christ.  They are a body of believers that are filled with His Spirit, the Spirit that fills all things.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are connected with Him and to all other believers.  We are all part of His body, the church.  Using the analogy of a body for all believers shows were are connected, able to work together, have many parts and each have a unique job to accomplish for Him.    So… how are you working within His body,  the church, to accomplish what He has set out for you to do for Him?  Are you cooperative with fellow believers?   Do you work for His glory and not your own?   Believers are not perfect, but sinners forgiven, and we need to be filled with His grace, mercy and love as we strive to work with others for the cause of Christ.   Remember Christ said in John 13:34-35 “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

john 13 35Spend some time in prayer today contemplating your place, work and spirit of cooperation within your local church.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you are doing well and where you need His help to do better.   He is faithful and will show you.

Linda

 

Spiritually Blessed, Thank you Jesus!

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Ephesians 1-3 Every Spiritual Blessing In Christ blackBecause Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.  This truth is stated in Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”   

What does that really mean for you and me?  What spiritual blessings come from heavenly places because of Christ and His work on the cross?  Here are a few:  I am saved for eternity, I will live with Him in heaven forever, I am considered part of God’s family and Christ called believers His brothers and sisters.  God has a plan for my life and has good things and a future for me, Jeremiah 29:11.  I am forgiven, I am considered holy and blameless through Jesus’ work on the cross, I will live after death and rise to be with Him, I am beloved of God and God has given me His Holy Spirit to live within me.

As you meditate today try to lengthen this list of spiritual blessings you have because of Christ.  We are truly blessed as children of God!

Linda