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A Christian’s New Years Devotion
The Jewish Civil New Year begins on the first day of the month of Tishri on the Jewish calendar. This month equates to our calendar months of September/October. It was during this one month time frame that the Jews were instructed to observe three New Year related celebrations: Feast of Trumpets (1st), Day of Atonement(10th), and the Feast of Tabernacles(15th-21st).
As we study these three celebrations, we can learn much about preparing for our new year as well.
THE SCRIPTURE:
Lev 23:23-44; Nums 29:1-40
THE STUDY:
The Feast of Trumpets (Lev 23:23-25, Nums 29:1-6)
This feast centered upon the ritualistic sounding of trumpets used to call men to assemble before God. Besides calling men to attention or assembly, in the Bible, the blowing of trumpets emphasizes a new beginning, with new responsibilities, brought about by God’s intervention:
- Giving of 10 commandments – Exo 19:16
- Day of Atonement – forgiveness of national sin – Lev 25:9
- Fall of Wall of Jericho – Josh 6:20
- Defeat of Midianties – Judg 7:18
- Ark restored to city of David – 2 Sam 6:15
- New moon beginning of new lunar cycle, new time of worship and service – Psa 81:3
- Israel’s deliverance from bondage of Assyria and Egypt – Isa 27:13
- Taking Of His people to Heaven at Rapture – Matt 24:31, 1 Cor 15:52
- The Lord’s judgments during Tribulation period – Rev 8:13
The Feast of Trumpets helps to remind us that:
It is by the Lord’s grace that we are entering into a New Year which can be a new beginning for us all. This includes putting past failures behind us and looking forward to a new set of opportunities and responsibilities and victories in our service to Him.
The Day of Atonement (Lev 23:26-32, Num 29:7-11)
This was a day set aside for the Jewish people to “afflict” their souls. In other words, it was a time set aside for coming to the Lord in humility asking for forgiveness for sins and a renewal of dedication for His service, putting Him first in their lives.
Just as in the Feast of Trumpets, there was a series of offerings that were to be made:
- Burnt – picturing His death on the cross accepted by God – Lev 1:1-17
- Meat – picturing His blessings given to us – Lev 2:1-16
- Sin – Picturing forgiveness of our transgressions against Him – Lev 4:1-35
- Drink – Picturing His shed blood on our behalf – Nums 15:5-7
- Peace – Picturing His work brings about peace (rest, comfort, forgiveness) for us – Lev 3:1-5
- Taken together, these represent His death, and shed blood, resulting in our forgiveness, peace and other blessings.
This was perhaps the most important observance for the Jewish celebrations. If anyone refused to observe this Day of Atonement they were to be cut off from the people, alienated from all areas of worship and service.
The Day of Atonement reminds us that:
We have a great need to deal with our past sins, putting them behind us, and securing our communion with the Lord. We are to enter into a New Year of service humbly and in submission to the Lord’s will and way for our lives.
The motive for both of these should be His great sacrifice on our behalf. When we consider what He has done for us shouldn’t we desire a close walk with Him, not hindered by unconfessed sin? Shouldn’t we desire to be in submissive to His desires for us? After all, aren’t both of these “our duty to do”?
We cannot over emphasize the absolute importance of communion and submission for the coming year ahead. To deal with sin in our lives and then be submissive to will for the future is essential to living a victorious life in the coming year.
The Feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:34-44, Nums 29:12-40)
The Feast of Tabernacles was an eight day observance (beginning on the 15th of the month and concluding on the 22nd day of the month). During this eight day celebration, the Israelites were to give sacrifices unto the Lord and dwell in booths (tents). It was observed to remind the Israelites of their dwelling in tents during their wilderness journeys following their release from Egyptian slavery.
The Feast of Tabernacles helps us to remind us that:
We are currently on a pilgrimage here on earth. This is not our permanent home, like the Israelites who were traveling through the wilderness waiting for the Promised Land. We are only strangers and pilgrims on this earth, waiting for our permanent, heavenly home.
When trials enter our lives this coming year we need to always keep in mind, our heavenly home awaits… our greatest need is to rely on our Lord and keep looking for our heavenly home.
Please note in all of these three celebrations, no work was to be done on these days, emphasizing the need to concentrate solely on the things of God. We should take a break from all the distractions the world has to offer and take time to simply commune with our Lord. What better way is there to start the New Year?
Also, in all three celebrations we find a command to convene (assemble) was issued, this would allow for a time of worship and also a time of encouragement to be passed from one Israelite to another as they prepared to face their New Year.
We, as well, should learn from this principle. Take time to worship at a Bible- believing church and try to encourage other Christians to prepare for the coming year.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
To summarize our preparation for the New Year:
- It is by the Lord’s grace that we are entering into a New Year which can be a new beginning for us all. (Phil 3:13-14)
- putting past failures behind us
- looking forward to a new set of opportunities and responsibilities and victories in our service to Him.
- Entering into a New Year of service humbly and submitting to the Lord’s will and way for our lives. (James 4:7-8)
- Recognize His great sacrifice on our behalf. (Luke 17:10)
- When we consider all He has done for us shouldn’t we desire a close walk with Him, not hindered by unconfessed sin?
- Shouldn’t we desire to be in submissive to His desires for us?
- After all, aren’t both of these “our duty to do”?
- Realize we are currently on a pilgrimage here on earth. We are waiting for our permanent, heavenly home. (Heb 11:13-16)
- When trials enter our lives this coming year we need to always keep in mind, our heavenly home awaits, our trials will only last for a season.
- We should take a break from all the distractions the world has to offer and take time to simply commune with our Lord. What better way is there to start the New Year? (Psa 63:1-7)
- Take time to attend a Bible- believing church (Heb 10:24-25)
- We can worship the Lord
- We can encourage other Christians to prepare for the coming year.
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
Now is the time for you to put your life of rebellion against God and His Word behind you and begin the New Year as a new creature in Christ (2 Cor 5:14-21). None of us know what the New Year will bring into our lives, however, the greatest insurance for the future is being a child of God (Gal 4:4-7). He promises to His children that He will never leave nor forsake His children (Heb 13:5-6) . If adopted into His family, you can be assured of His love, care, communion and intervention in your life, as well as a glorious eternity awaiting you. (Matt 6:25-24)
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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The Christmas Story Presented In Chronological Order
Since we have looked at the Christmas story from two different books in the Bible, I thought it was important to bring the two accounts together, in chronological order. In this way, we can see how the two accounts fit together.
This is the entire Christmas story as presented in the two gospels, Matthew and Luke…
THE SCRIPTURE:
(Luk 1:26-56)
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
(Mat 1:18-24)
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
(Luk 2:1-7)
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
(Mat 1:25)
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
(Luk 2:8-38)
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
(Mat 2:1-23)
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
(Luk 2:39-40)
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
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This is the Christmas story. This is what the Christmas is all about. May the Lord richly bless you with peace and grace during this holiday season.
Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I count it a great blessing and privilege to be able to present God’s Word to you.
My prayer is that, in some way, this blog has helped you to fulfill 1 Sam 12:24 …
“Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.” (1Sa 12:24)
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
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Christmas Devotion:Christmas Story (Luke – 4)
Here is the conclusion of our verse by verse study of the birth of Christ. In this blog entry, we will be looking at the conclusion of the account from Luke…
Part #1 – Luke 1:26-38
Part #2 – Luke 1:39-56
Part #3 – Luke 2:1-20
Part #4 – Luke 2:21-40
THE SCRIPTURE:
Luke 2:21-40
THE STUDY:
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
It was Jewish tradition for a child to be circumcised at eight days after birth. This circumcision was a visible proof that the child was a part of the Jewish nation. The child officially received his name at the time of circumcision. In this case, the baby was named Jesus, “Jehovah our freedom” or “Jehovah our salvation” just as the angel had said.
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
The ceremony described here had two basic parts to it:
- The law of purification applied to the mother of any newborn male child. This time lasted for a total of 40 days (Lev 12:2-4). The principle behind the need for this purification was because the woman had brought another man into this world. The male was looked upon as responsible for sin entering this world, and therefore the mother needed to be “purified”. (Roms 5:12, 19)
- Also, a part of this ceremony was to bring to remembrance God’s grace in delivering the Israelites from the Egyptian captivity. (Exo 13:12). This was done by separating the young child to the service of God.
The offering of animals was a key ingredient to this ceremony.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
A Godly priest, Simeon, was waiting for the coming of the Messiah. Here, the Messiah is described as “the Consolation” or “the Comforter” of Israel. He would be the One who would bear the sin burdens of His people, giving them rest and peace in the midst of a sinful world.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Once again, we see the Spirit revealing to man the true identity of the baby. When Christ was presented to Simeon, he immediately recognized Him as both Savior of the people of Israel and a light that would open the sin blinded eyes of the Gentiles.
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
Joseph and Mary were amazed at Simeon’s declaration about the Christ child.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Simeon spoke to Mary saying that the Jewish people would, at first during His earthly ministry, reject Him as their Messiah (the fall), but later as the gospel message spread, would come to a saving knowledge of Him (the rising again). His miraculous life would be a sign of His true identity as Messiah and God, which many people would verbally ridicule.
Mary, as she would watch her child being crucified would suffer as if a sword has passed through her. This same crucifixion would reveal what was in the hearts of men.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Anna, a woman used of God to reveal His word, who was an older lady of at least 84 years, but perhaps as many as 100+ years old. She so frequented the temple that it was as if she lived there for most of her waking hours. During this her time at the temple she was fasting and in prayer. She, too recognized the baby as Christ and then thanked the Lord and then began telling others about the Messiah that had come.
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
Joseph and Mary stayed at Jerusalem until all of the demands of the ceremonial law had been met, and then they went back to their home in Nazareth. It was there that Christ grew physically and emotionally as He showed an incredible knowledge of His Word and the application of it.
It is very difficult to understand how Christ, who was God Himself, could grow physically and emotionally, but this was all a part of His humanity.
Throughout Christ’s young life it was obvious that the Lord’s presence and blessings were upon Him in a very special way; hence the phrase “and the grace of God was upon Him.” The word “grace” is from a Greek word meaning “gifts”, “favors” or “benefits”.
This concludes our study of the story of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
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Christmas Devotion:Christmas Story (Luke – 3)
Here is part #3 of our series on Christ’s birth from Luke.
Part #1 – Luke 1:26-38
Part #2 – Luke 1:39-56
Part #3 – Luke 2:1-20
Part #4 – Luke 2:21-40
THE SCRIPTURE:
Luke 2:1-20
THE STUDY:
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Caesar Augustus was the ruler of the Roman Empire. Israel was a part of that empire. Augustus desired to tax the people of Israel, but before he levied the tax upon them, he wanted to count them. Every male head of the family was to return to his ancestral hometown, with his family, to be counted in the taxation census.
Cyrenius was the Roman ruler over the area of Syria, just as Herod was the Roman ruler over the area of Israel.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Joseph, out of necessity, returned to his hometown of Bethlehem, bringing with him his pregnant wife Mary. King David was from Bethlehem, and Joseph was a descendent of David.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
During their stay in Bethlehem, Mary gives birth to the Christ. Die to the great number of people ascending upon Bethlehem (all the male descendants of King David) there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
The shepherds had their flocks in the field overnight. In Israel, the night temperature was warm enough to keep the flocks in the field only in late spring through early fall (approx. May-Sept). Probably, the time of Christ’s birth was not in late December, but much earlier in the year.
Why, then, do we observe His birth in late December? This is simply a tradition of man that is not sanctioned by God. The Catholic church began to celebrate His birth at this time of year to try to attract the Pagan worshippers who were observing the winter solstice at this time of year.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
The angel of the Lord (perhaps Gabriel) appeared to the shepherds and delivered to them a message from the Lord. God’s presence (the person of the Holy Spirit) was clearly seen among the shepherds as they were given this message. This same Holy Spirit enabled them to understand and submit to the coming of Christ.
The angel’s message was a joyous message telling of the coming of the Messiah, Christ the Lord.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
After the angels leave, the shepherds decide to make the trip to Bethlehem to see the baby Messiah.
Again, notice the faith of the shepherds willing to make this trip based on no proof except God’s message to them. They did not doubt the message, they said “let us now go… and see this thing…”. They did not say “let’s go and see if the message is true.”
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
After visiting the child, they next began to tell others about Him. In the same way, we first must hear the word of God, and then come to the Savior; and once we meet the Savior, we then are to tell others about Him.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
The message of shepherds was met with amazement by their listeners. Mary, however, reflected on the message of the angels, all the events that had taken place, and the message of the shepherds. Her faith allowed her to accept all these things without astonishment and unbelief.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
The shepherds continued to tell of their experiences to all who would hear them.
We will conclude our study from the book of Luke in the next blog entry: Luke 2:21-40
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
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Christmas Devotion:Christmas Story (Luke – 2)
Our four part study of Christ’s birth in the book of Luke continues with part #2.
Part #1 – Luke 1:26-38
Part #2 – Luke 1:39-56
Part #3 – Luke 2:1-20
Part #4 – Luke 2:21-40
THE SCRIPTURE:
Luke 1:39-56
THE STUDY:
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin. The angel had told Mary about John the Baptist’s conception in the womb of once barren Elizabeth (Lk 1:36). A now pregnant Mary, acting on faith, makes the trip to Elisabeth’s house, anxious to hear about Elizabeth’s pregnancy and upcoming birth.
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb;
At the sound of Mary’s voice, the baby moved suddenly in Elizabeth’s womb. Remember, one of ohn the Baptist’s greatest duties was to announce the coming of the Messiah to earth. (Luke 1:76-79) Here, we see John the Baptist announcing the presence of Christ in the room as Mary entered. This was the first of many occasions where he would announce the arrival of the Lord.
How did an unborn child (John) recognize the presence of Christ in the womb of Mary? It was through the divine enabling of the Holy Spirit who had filled John while in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15)
(Please note that even an unborn child is capable of fulfilling a God given ministry. This speaks to the personhood and significance of the unborn child. No one should say that an unborn child is simply a part of their mother’s body and does not have life in and of himself.)
and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Now we see The Holy Spirit filling Elizabeth, which in turn gives her the ability to prophesy. Through the Spirit, due to the movement of John, she understands that within Mary’s womb was the Christ child. Elizabeth, describes the baby in Mary’s womb as “my Lord”, again this emphasizes the life and personhood of the unborn child.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Mary’s great desire was to glorify her God for all that He had done for her. Note she recognized His grace to her, giving her what she did not deserve “he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden”. This was her motive for giving Him all the glory. The more we recognize His grace in our lives, the more we see the need to glorify Him as well.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
She began to recount His greatness:
- He is mighty
- He does great things
- Holy is His name
- He is merciful
- He blesses those that fear Him
- He is strong
- He punishes the proud
- He humbles the mighty
- He fills the hungry
- He keeps satisfaction from the rich
- He helps Israel
- He speaks to His people
And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Mary then remains with Elizabeth before making the journey back to her home.
We will continue our study in the next blog entry: Luke 2:1-20
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
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Christmas Devotion: Christmas Story (Luke – 1)
We will now continue our look at the birth of Christ by turning to the account in Luke. We’ll be breaking up our study into four parts:
Part #1 – Luke 1:26-38
Part #2 – Luke 1:39-56
Part #3 – Luke 2:1-20
Part #4 – Luke 2:21-40
Today, we will start with part number one.
THE SCRIPTURE:
Luke 1:26-38
THE STUDY:
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
The angel Gabriel is used by the Lord to deliver the message to Mary. Perhaps, Gabriel is the “Angel of the Lord” talked about in the Matthew account of Christ’s birth (Matt 1:20,24, 2:13,19) Gabriel was also used by the Lord to deliver the Lord’s message to Daniel (Dan 8:16. 9:21)
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
The espousal was a legally binding promise to marry. At this point in time, Mary and Joseph had promised to marry but they had not taken the vows nor had they consummated their relationship.
The word “virgin” here is from a Greek word that can mean three different ideas…“a maiden” or “an unmarried daughter” or “a woman who did not have relations with a man”. How do we know which meaning is meant here? Context dictates the true meaning.
Contextually there are at least, three different proofs that Mary had never had relations with a man:
- Luke 1:34 – Mary’s response makes it clear that Mary had never had relations with a man.
- Matt 1:21-25 We are clearly told that her pregnancy was the result of the Lord’s divine intervention, this is why Joseph did not break the espousal agreement.
- Isa 7:14 – This prophecy was fulfilled by Mary’s pregnancy, it was a miraculous sign from God.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Here Gabriel tells Mary three different ideas:
- she was highly favoured – Lord had chosen to use her in a special way uncommon among other women
- Lord was with her – Lord’s presence was with her in a special way
- She was blessed among all women – Lord had chosen to show her a measure of grace above that of other women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
This greeting disturbed her, at this point she did not understand what would take place in her life.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
The angel calms Mary’s fears and then explained how the Lord would show her a special blessing above that of other women. She would conceive and then give birth to a son. This son would be named “Jesus” which means “Jehovah is our freedom”, “Jehovah is our salvation” He would be both God and Savior of His people.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Truths about this God, and Savior…
- shall be great – Christ would be “High One” or One who is over all creation
- shall be called Son of Highest – He would be recognized as Son of Jehovah God
- Father will give Him David’s throne – God would give Him authority to rule over Israel of God (Gals 6:16)
- shall reign over house of Jacob eternally – His rule over Israel would be an eternal rule
- shall be no end to his kingdom – His rule is not limited to that of the Israel of God but over all mankind (Phil 2:10-11)
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Gen 4:1 “knew” – intimate relations. She knew she had never had relations this is why she was so confused. How could she ever become pregnant? This is a proof that she had never had relations with a man.
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
The answer the angel gives to her is in direct response to her concern about how a virgin can become pregnant… Through the power of God the Father, and through the intervention of the Holy Ghost, Mary would conceive a child who would be the very Son of God.
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.
To prove that this was a message from God and to prove that this miraculous act could be accomplished, the angel points to another miracle, the conception of John the Baptist in the womb of barren Elisabeth.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Mary shows her faith in the Lord and his word by submitting to His will and believing these miracles would be done.
In our next blog entry we will continue this series by looking at Luke 1:39-56
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
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A Christmas Devotion: The Christmas Story Explained Part 1
With the commercialized Christmas season upon us, I thought it would be good to remind us of the birth of Christ. Over the next several postings we will be looking at both the account of His birth we find in Matthew and, later, the one that is found in Luke.
I’m going to break up our Matthew study into two parts:
Part #1 – Matthew 1:18-2:7
Part #2 – Matthew 2:8-23
THE SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 1:18-2:10
THE STUDY:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
An espousal is a legally binding engagement. Back in the NT times, when the couple made it public knowledge that they are intending marriage, they became legally responsible to be faithful to one another. Although they were not yet actually married, nor did they have marital relations; the law said they had entered into a legally binding agreement, and were to be held accountable if the did not uphold that agreement.
Mary, becomes pregnant during this time of espousal. Therefore, in the eyes of the law, she appeared to be guilty of adultery, even though she was not yet married to her husband to be, Joseph.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
Although not married, according to the espousal law, Joseph was her husband. Therefore, if he did not intend to go through with the marriage he must give legal grounds and have her “put away” (ie do away with his legal obligation to marry her – in other words, he was legally severing the espousal contract.) However, because he still loved her, he did not want to put her to shame by using a public meeting to sever the espousal contract. He opted for a private meeting with the city elders to sever the contract instead.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
The identity of this “angel of the Lord” isn’t specified in Scripture. Some believe it is the same “angel of the Lord” that is talked about in the OT scriptures (Gen 16:7, 22:11, Ex 3:2, Num 22:22 etc). Others believe this is a more generic term that is used for any angel that does the bidding of the Lord on the earth. The identity of this angel is not of great significance to our story. What is important is his message to Joseph…
- Fear not to go ahead with the marriage to Mary
- Mary has conceived through divine intervention of the Holy Spirit, she has not been unfaithful to you.
- She will give birth to a son
- You will call Mary’s son “Jesus”
- The reason for this name is to reveal His person and one of the purposes of His coming… – Jesus means “Jehovah is our freedom” or “Jehovah is salvation” . In other words, in this one name “Jesus”, we learn that this baby would be God Himself (Jehovah), who would bring freedom from our sins (salvation)
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
This is a prophecy found in Isa 7:14. Here the name Emmanuel is Hebrew for “God with Us”. When Joseph gave the baby the name “Jesus” the same truth was brought forth. He was Jehovah (or God) with us.
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Joseph, by faith, accepted the message of the angel and then changed his plans to obey the angel. This was true faith at work! Every human indication was that Mary was unfaithful to him, but based on the message from God, Joseph chose to marry her, trusting the truthfulness of God’s message.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,
“Bethlehem” is from the Hebrew language. It means “House of Bread”. This is the birthplace of Christ. Who is self described as the “bread of life” (John 6:32-51). Truly, Bethlehem is the “house of bread”!
Herod, this was a family name. There were many individuals who carried the name of “Herod”. This man, in the account of Christ’s birth, was a man commonly referred to as “Herod the Great” or “Herod the first” or “Herod the Ascalonite”.
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
The wise men were religious priests from Persia. By their words and actions, we can see that they were acquainted with teachings about a coming King of the Jews. Also, they were familiar with the role of the star (perhaps from Nums 24:17). They had a submissive attitude toward this coming King, they were coming to worship Him and bring Him gifts, even though they were not Jewish but of Persian descent. All of this seems to indicate it is possible they were actually worshippers and servants of Jehovah.
There is nothing in Scripture to indicate these men were currently practicing “astrologers” nor “mystics” nor “seers”. It is much more likely they were highly educated scientists studying the heavens (astronomers). The other possibility was that these men were reformed “astrologers” who were no longer practiced the sinful craft. Keep in mind, these men appear to be in submission to Jehovah and His Christ. It is this same Jehovah that makes it clear that astrology and mysticism is sinful and should not be pursued. (see my blog entry “Ask the stars… they will tell you”)
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
Herod, the current “King” of the Jews, was concerned at the news another “King of the Jews” was to be born. This troubled him, so he gathered together his religiously educated counselors to find out more information.
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
The counselors quote to Herod the prophecy found in Micah 5:2, which tells of Bethlehem as the birthplace of the coming ruler of Israel. This Bethlehem was a very small village in the province of Judah (the southern portion of Israel). That is why it is described as “the least” among the towns (princes) of Judah.
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Herod would use this information to calculate an estimate of the Messiah’s age, as He sent forth His decree to slay all infants two years and under (Matt 2:16).
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Herod had no intention of worshipping Christ, he wanted to kill the Christ child. Here, we see his deceit and his attempt to use the wise men for his own evil purposes.
To be continued in part #2 of our study which includes Matthew 2:8-23.
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
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Christ or Santa Claus; Man, am I confused!
Most of us know the basic history of Santa Claus…
Nicholas, a 17-year-old Catholic priest, became known for his generosity toward those that were in need (especially children). Following his death the Catholic church granted him the status of sainthood. As the Catholic church began to celebrate Christmas, they included St Nicholas in their celebration.
As time progressed, due to the influence of the reformation, the person of St Nicholas began to be changed into a variety of characters. Different nations began to form their own description and name for this generous person. St Nicholas’s new names ranged from Father Christmas, Christmas Man, Pere Noel and many others. The name most commonly used in our country, Santa Claus, came from the Dutch version of St Nicholas, who was given the name, Sinterklaas.
In the early 1800s, most of the specific features of Santa Claus were first developed by two different publications; Clement C. Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and Thomas Nast’s yearly drawings of Santa Claus in “Harper’s Weekly” magazine.
Finally in the early to mid 1900’s Coca Cola commercials were the first time Santa Claus was pictured with the all of his modern-day features.
http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/santa_claus.htm
During the years of this evolutionary process, Santa Claus became an inseparable part of the American holiday season. The vast majority of homes in the US continue to include Santa Claus in their Christmas celebration. According to an AP AOL News poll 85% of those polled believed in Santa Claus as a child. Also, over 60% of homes with children believe that Santa Claus is “important” to their holiday celebration. For an eye-opening look at the role of Santa in the American celebration of Christmas please go to the poll:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/23/AR2006122300225.html
Christmas, which mankind has set aside to celebrate the birth of Christ, in today’s time seems to center more on Santa Claus than on the Lord Jesus Christ. So what gives? Could it be, that the world has chosen to replace Christ with Santa Claus? Is Santa Claus the secular version of Christ? Let’s take a look and see what similarities Christ and Santa share…
THE SCRIPTURE:
To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. (Isa 40:25)
THE STUDY:
In our text, the Lord is making the point that He is clearly exalted above all creatures, great or small. Although this is a true statement, many times man tries to find replacements for Christ. One of those man-made replacements is Santa Claus.
Here is a quick comparison of Christ with Santa Claus:
- Comes in the Sky – Mark 14:62
- Has White Hair – Rev 1:14
- Wears Red Clothing – Isa 63:1-2
- The Time of His Coming Is Unknown – Matt 24:43-44
- Knows All The Actions Of Humans – Hebs 4:13
- Can Be Present Everywhere – Jer 23:23-24
- Will Not Die – Rev 1:8
- Rewards Good / Evil – Rev 22:12, Rom 14:12 … Santa leaves gifts or coal
- Loves Little Children – Mark 10:14
- Described as Christ child – Luke 2:11-12…. Kris Kringle means “Christ Child”
- Says Ho Ho – Zech 2:6
- Answers requests made to Him – Matthew 7:7
- Belief in Him is necessary for gifts to be received – Hebs 11:6
- We Look forward to His coming – Titus 2:13
Need I say more?
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
As we celebrate this Christmas season, at the least, we need to be sure that our children understand the true meaning of Christmas. We can all do this by emphasizing the role of Christ and minimizing the role of Santa Claus.
For some of us, we may decide to totally exclude Santa from our holiday celebration and center all of our attention on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. After all, isn’t that what He really deserves?
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (Isa 42:8)
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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Getting Acquainted With God (Part #1)
To be “acquainted” with someone is an interesting concept. Basically, the term “acquainted” refers to getting used to someone. Or perhaps, a better way to express the thought is “to attune your self to another’s thoughts, feelings and actions”.
Remember the old Newlywed Game TV show? It aired back in the 60s and 70s with host Bob Eubanks. I used to watch the show all the time. It involved taking 4 pairs of newlyweds and asking them a variety of questions to see how well they knew each other. At times, some of their answers were hilarious. In some cases, one of the spouses would answer a question in the exact opposite way as their spouse. How embarrassing! It was as if they were admitting to everyone watching the show that they really didn’t know their spouse very well at all. For a quick peek at the show, take a look at this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4DD_OyT-sQ
As impossible as it might seem, God’s Word tells us that we can become acquainted with Almighty God! Can you imagine what it is like to have lives attuned with the Sovereign Creator of all? Let’s see what the Bible has to say…
In part 1 of our study we will see how and why we acquaint ourselves with God.
In part 2 of our study we will begin a journey to acquaint ourselves with God.
THE SCRIPTURE:
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21)
THE STUDY:
It is through Christ that we can become acquainted with God the Father…
“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” (Joh 14:8-11)
When Christ was on the earth, mankind had a living and breathing revelation of God amongst them. They could watch the actions of Christ and hear the words of Christ, which would allow them to become acquainted with the Father. However, now that Christ is no longer physically present with us on the earth, how can we learn about Christ; and in doing so, become acquainted with the Father?…
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (Joh 5:39)
We can read the Word of God and learn about Christ and His life on earth. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies and symbolism revealing Christ; likewise, the gospels in the New Testament are written records of His life on earth, while the remaining portions of the New Testament helps to explain in more detail what Christ taught and did while on the earth.
The key to becoming acquainted with the Father is by becoming acquainted to Christ through the Word of God. The Word is the only reliable source of knowledge about Christ and The Father.
(Please note: It is possible to learn about God through the experiences in our lives. However, MUCH CARE must be taken in our interpretation of our life events. For example, following being tempted, I could say… “I have now learned that God tempts people, because I have been tempted.” However, by interpreting my life experience through the lens of the Scripture, I come to realize that God does not tempt any man but it was a combination of my lust, Satan, or the sinful world that caused the temptation – James 1:13-14.
We MUST ALWAYS interpret any life event within the context of Holy Scripture. This is of great significance. The Bible must take priority over any life event that may seem to teach us a lesson about God. If we do not do this, we can come to gross misunderstandings about how God works. In the worst scenario, these misunderstandings lead to heretical teachings and the misleading of those who are sincerely attempting to acquaint themselves with their God.
I have found that it is a much safer practice to refer to the Word for all my knowledge about My Lord and the Father. I have NEVER learned anything from my life experiences about the workings of God that the Word has not clearly declared. My life experiences simply affirm what the Word says about my Lord. As I learn more from His Word, I begin to see more of His intervention in my life.)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
A life attuned to God, is an absolute necessity for us to live a victorious life for Him. As our text brings forth… if we are acquainted with Him, both peace and good (or grace) will accompany our life here on earth. With peace, we can withstand the must violent storms that life can bring our way. With grace we can be assured of victory in our spiritual battles, as well as continued the strength to serve in any way in which we are called. Paul understood the importance of grace and peace for the Christian’s life. That is Paul wishes His readers “grace and peace” on many separate occasions. (Roms 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3, 2 Cor 1:2, Gal 1:3, Eph 1:2, Phil 1:2, Col 1:2, 1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:2, 1 Tim 1:2, 2 Tim 1:2, Tit 1:4, Phlm 1:3)
By becoming increasing familiar with His Word, through study (Acts 17:10-11), meditating (1 Tim 4:13-15), and memorization (Psa 119:11), we can learn much of our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Heavenly Father.
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
The first step to developing a close walk with the Lord is by trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior. By coming to a point of acknowledgement of the sin in your life, and your inability to do anything to bring about the forgiveness of your sin, you will realize your only hope is in Christ.
Then by placing your spiritual well-being into the hands of the Lord, He will intervene in your life, grant repentance and give you the ability to understand His Word. This is the first step that is necessary for you to walk closely with your God. (Isa 55:6-7, 2 Cor 3:13-17)
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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
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The Worm, The Hook, The Great Deception
For any of you who have ever fished, you probably know how Bill Dance feels in this video compilation of some of his greatest bloopers…. You’ll love it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_BLggf-mqs
The Bible addresses the issue of temptation, by picturing it as a fisherman attempting to catch a fish. Unfortunately, in this scenario, temptation is the fisherman (empowered by Satan, our flesh and the world) and we are the fish. What is the purpose of temptation? To bring misery and death to those who choose to take the bait and be reeled in by the sinful forces of this world.
Here is what the Bible has to say about temptation and it’s results…
THE SCRIPTURE:
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (Jas 1:13-15)
THE STUDY:
In our first text, we find the steps of progression from temptation to the actual act of sin:
Step 1: he is drawn away of his own lust We come into contact with something that appeals to our desires. Much like a fish is attracted to the bait, due to its hunger.
Step 2: and enticed. Enticed means to deceive, mislead. Much like the fish, after being attracted, does recognize the hook; but believes that the bait is harmless.
Step 3: Then when lust hath conceived the idea of conceived means to grasp or take. Once the fish takes the bait, sealing his fate.
Step 4: it bringeth forth sin By acting to satisfy the lists within us, we now commit the sin and, of course, bring an act of sin into our lives. The result of this sin? Death. Much like the fish that now has taken the bait is reeled to its awaiting death.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
To avoid the commission of sin we need to derail the temptation to sin process anyway we can.
Here are ways to derail the process at each of the first three steps of the four step process:
Step #1 – If we deal with our lusts properly… our sinful desires will be weakened and the opportunity to full those desires will be lessened.
We will be avoiding as many opportunities to fulfill our sinful lusts as possible.
An example: If our lusts lead us to easily abuse alcohol, we should avoid going into bars or restaurants that serve alcohol.
Or, we can think refuse to dwell mentally on our lust and its fulfillment, weakening our lusts by starving them.
An example: Do our lusts trouble us in the area of coveting the possessions of others? If we see something we desire that is owned by another, we should not continue to think on the items. This stirs up our lusts and opens the door to covetousness.
Step #2 – We need to stop and think about the true results of the sin we are about to commit. We will not see the bait as harmless but as something that will work death to us.
An example: How will this action affect me tomorrow, or next week, or next year? How will it affect those around me? What will it do to my testimony?
Step #3 – We need to seek the wisdom of God before we commit to actions we are unsure about. Ny doing this, we will be directed away from committing sin and resolving to do what is honoring to God.
An example: Before we commit to an action, we should seek out God’s Word and/or the Godly counsel of others, asking the question “What saith the Lord?”.
By derailing the process before the sin is actually committed, we will be avoiding future pain for ourselves and others around us; while pleasing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
Before you can begin to win the victory over temptation in your life, you must first submit your life and desires to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ. This submission is an absolute necessity for the forgiveness of your sins and living a new life of victory over sin and death.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.(Jas 4:7-8)
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
(Rom 6:16-18)
To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Why?
“Why is the sky blue?” “Why does a dog bark?” “Why is ice cream cold?” The list goes on and on. When we were much younger, we were concerned about all the “whys” of life. Sad to say in the process of getting our answers, we drove our parents to the edge of insanity!
However, something happened to many of us as we grew older… the “whys” of life no longer seemed to be as important. As we grew busier in our life’s activities, we no longer were concerned about “why”. This change resulted in cheating us out of a greater appreciation of the world around us.
When it comes to God’s Word, understanding the “whys” is an absolute necessity to grasp the entire truth that is being presented. For this blog entry, I would like us to look at one example of this principle. Let’s look at the answer to a very common question that is asked by many Christians…. “Why did the Lord forgive us of our sins?”
THE SCRIPTURE:
And you hath he quickened,… That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:1-7)
THE STUDY:
This Scripture text is basically answering two questions:
In verses 1-3 we have the answer to: “What was our condition before The Lord forgave me of my sins?”
In verses 4-7 we have the answer to: “Why did the Lord forgive me of my sins?”
Our study will begin with verses 1-3…
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
Before the Lord intervened in our life we were “dead in trespasses and sins”. In other words, spiritually we were separated from God and unable to help ourselves. We could no more give ourselves forgiveness and spiritual life than a dead corpse can give itself CPR and bring itself back to life.
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
Before the Lord’s intervention, our lifestyle was one of disobedience and rebellion to the will and ways of God. Although we may have lived moral lives, our morality was of no more value than that of filthy rags (Isa 64:6). Why were they of no lasting spiritual value? Our moral actions were not done out of a heart of love for the Lord.
“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;
Instead of our moral works being done out of love for God, they were motivated by the lusts of our flesh and mind. In other words, our moral actions were motivated out of a love for self and pleasure. Our entire lifestyle was one of living for self gratification.
“and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
Our sinful nature, which we received from Adam, was deserving of God’s punishment. We shared this same type of nature with all mankind. Everyone, possesses this same nature within themselves. (1 Cor 15:22)
(Note on verses 1-3….Please notice these verses set the groundwork for the following verses 4-7. Basically what we are saying is this…. Since I was in such a horrible condition (vs 1-3) why did the Lord ever make the time and effort to save me? (vs 4-7))
In verses 4-7…
So why did The Lord forgive us?
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,”
Reason #1
We are forgiven because of His mercy and His love for us. In other words, He is willing to withhold our deserved punishment from us (his mercy) because He so greatly loved us.
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”
This is a quick review of our horrible condition before His intervention in our lives. This review is given to remind us that we didn’t deserve, nor did we earn, His love or mercy…. It is given entirely by His willingness to give us undeserved blessings. These undeserved blessings include His forgiveness which saved us from the punishment of our sins.
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
Reason #2
We are forgiven so we might live eternally with Him. The Lord raised us from our spiritual death, so that we might share an eternity in heaven with Him.
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
Reason #3
We are forgiven so that The Lord might be glorified. From the moment of our salvation, the Lord glorifies Himself in the lives of those He has saved. Anyone who is truly saved, becomes a new creature in Him. Because of this great inward change, our outward lives change as well. (2 Cor 5:17) This change glorifies Him.
Also, throughout eternity, our presence with Him in heaven will be a continual testimony of His grace and forgiveness that He has given to His people. (Rev 4:10-11)
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For the Christian….
When Christians are asked “Why did the Lord forgive you of your sins?” their two favorite responses are… “Because He loved us” and “Because He wanted to go to heaven and not hell”. In our above text, we saw both of these are true.
However, please notice the third reason why He chose to save us. It is because He wants to glorify Himself in our lives. This is so important for each of us to understand. If we have been saved we are to serve Him with our lives. By doing, this we are bringing to fulfillment His third desire … that He might be glorified. (Eph 2:8-10)
For those who have never trusted in Christ…
If you have never received the Lord’s gracious forgiveness… you can see your horrible condition without His intervention in your life. Turn from your sins and turn to Him in faith, recognizing He is your only hope… He will not cast you aside. (John 6:33-40)
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If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
Have We No Shame?
“Sir, have you no shame?” …This question is said to have been used during the questioning of Sen Joseph McCarthy by Joseph Welch during the Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954. In reality, this question was never posed to the Senator. The actual quote from Welch is as follows… “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy)
Although this question may have never been asked in 1954… I believe that now is its time. What better question could bring into focus the current state of the world in which we live?
Today, the murder of unborn infants is justified by the excuse that the unborn are only a part of their mother’s body, when their DNA clearly shows they are a separate human being.
Today, we see the perversion of homosexuality becoming an acceptable lifestyle, while standing against this sin is being publically described as “bigoted” or “hateful” by “gay rights” groups.
The immorality of conceiving a child out of wedlock, is being trumpeted as valued female independence. Deceit, in order to advance in the workplace, is now a fact of life and looked upon as a sign of being “aggressive” or “hungry”.
Cheating on the part of our professional athletes has become as common as the lies that are told to cover up the cheating.
The removal of God’s Word from our schools, public places and government is being explained as being “politically correct”, while in reality it is “spiritually wicked”.
A multitude of sins are excused away with no thought of assigning responsibility, nor punishing the wrongdoing.
The morals that used to receive honor and respect are now looked upon with ridicule and distain.
The list goes on and on.
Does our nation not see the shredding of our moral fiber, and the resulting shame we have brought upon ourselves? Do we not, even now, feel the grave results of this type of behavior in our nation? Do we not see how we have taken the morals graciously given to us from our Lord, and trampled them under foot?
Again, may I ask “Have We No Shame?”
THE SCRIPTURE:
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (Jer 6:15-16)
THE STUDY:
Long ago the prophet Jeremiah, under the inspiration of the Lord, addressed this issue of a nation who no longer felt shame for their evil deeds. In the context, Jeremiah addressed the Southern kingdom of Judah, by calling their attention to the heinous sin that had overtaken their society. What was that sin? They had left the truths God had given to them, and began living according to what seemed right in their own eyes. (Provs 30:12) (The condition of Judah during this time period mirrors the condition of our country today.)
Jeremiah 6:15-16 is a short part of the message that The Lord had given Jeremiah to speak to the people of Judah…
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush:
One of the main problems in Judah was lacking sorrow for the sin they were committing. They had become so hardened toward their Lord, that they were able to commit sinful acts with no shame, nor regret. It was as if they no longer cared about their Lord’s desire for their nation, but had chosen to turn their back on Him. In doing so, they were living according to their own set of morals and became blinded to the desires of their God.
therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
This is the path they had placed themselves on… the path of imminent destruction. Remember, the Lord had graciously given them His law to aid them and keep them pure and safe. The morals of the Lord are beneficial to those who live by them. When Judah chose to turn their backs on His laws, they were turning their back on their own safety, security and aid. The Lord would now allow them to continue down the path of their choosing until they would end up as captives to the empire of Babylon. Who was to blame for their downfall?… only Judah. The Lord had shown them the way of safety, they choose to depart from it, and in doing so, they were writing their own ticket to captivity.
This is the exact condition of our nation… we are going down a path that will eventually lead to our downfall. We can see this on every hand as our nation struggles with economic, political, security, environmental, and most importantly, spiritual ills.
Thus saith the LORD,
The Lord gives the only true solution to the problems that Judah was facing. This solution is divided into three distinct parts:
Part #1 – Stand ye in the ways, and see
Recognize the condition they were in. By looking back at their history and God’s past blessings to them, they would be able to clearly see the sinful acts being committed in their nation. They could recognize how horribly they had trodden on His gracious acts for them. By remembering the blessed times, they could see all the blessings that had slipped away, and the grave situation they were now facing.
Part #2 – and ask for the old paths, where is the good way,
After seeing their need to turn from their wickedness, their next step was to seek out the truths of His Word once again.
Part #3 – and walk therein,
It is not enough for a nation to “go through the motions” of religion. The truths of God’s Word must be applied by the citizenry. As the members of the nation turn back to the old ways and realigning their lives to follow God’s Word, you have true national repentance taking place.
and ye shall find rest for your souls.
It is only this type of sincere, practical acceptance of the laws of God, that a nation can be delivered from its downward spiral of disobedience and loss of blessings.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For our Nation….
But they said, We will not walk therein.
What a sad conclusion Judah came to, after all of the Lord’s patience, after His grace and kindness towards them, they failed by not seizing their opportunity for repentance. When push came to shove, they could not bring themselves to turn from their ways and seek to do what was right.
Just as Judah had reached a point of decision making before God, so, too, our nation is facing the same time of reckoning. With the current economic, political and spiritual problems in our nation today, we now see the handwriting on the wall. There is very little doubt as to what our nation faces if it continues on the path it has chosen. Now is the time… The Lord has placed before our nation a simple, yet extremely important choice, it can be summarized by the following two passages…
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! …
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa 5:20-24)
“If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;…
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2Ch 7:13-14)
United States, which path will you choose to follow?
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If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”