Grace for your spirir 12-20-16

Grace for your spirit

Thus says the Lord, A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping.  Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.  Jeremiah 31:15

When Herod could not find the location of the child Jesus, fearing this child would grow up to replace Him, he decided to kill all the male children, age 2 and younger, near Bethlehem.  The prophecy of this grief was spoken by Jeremiah 600 years before.  Rachel refers to the mother of all Israel.  Herod was unsuccessful in his attempt to kill Jesus, since God had already led them out of the area.  Jesus would live on to fulfill His life mission at the cross.

Grace for your spirit 12-19-16

Grace for your spirit

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.  His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.  Micah 5:2

What was the prophet Micah talking about in 700 B.C.?  Who was this person who would go forth for God and be ruler in Israel?  Whoever He was talking about was coming from the days of eternity.  Why would little Bethlehem be in the center of the event?  Who knew?  God knew. He was talking about the birth of Jesus, time, place, and person, 700 years before the fact,  Who could know that?  Only God !

Grace for your spirit 12-16-16

Grace for your spirit

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

Jesus came to earth to teach us about grace.  Grace to look upwards worshiping our Father,  Grace to look outward to seek and save the lost, and Grace to bend down and lift the fallen.  He showed us His shepherd side, so we might become shepherds to a world distressed and dispirited.  Let's' reach up, reach out, and reach down to be like Jesus.

Grace for your spirit 12-15-16

Grace for your spirit

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.  Luke 2:10

When the angel and glory of the Lord appeared to these shepherds, they were afraid, but they did listen. The message of the Lord really was good tidings of great joy, as it was about Jesus.  If our phone rang today and someone said, "I bring you good tidings of great joy, we might be skeptical and hang up.  Many are skeptical when we come with the message of Jesus, but if we can help them get to know Him, the news will bring good news to them too.  Let's keep trying.

Grace for your spirit 12-14-16

Grace for your spirit

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but your were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.   I Corinthians 6:11

The Apostle  Paul was confronted with moral chaos in the church at Corinth.  Their sins were not trivial, but in most cases flagrant abominations.  Did he have a solution and a remedy for this chaos? Yes He did.  It was Jesus.  The power of Jesus could wash the clean, make them holy, forgive them as if they have never sinned.  With their new lives, they were equipped to live the new life and spread the good news of Jesus.  if He could do it for them, He can do it for us. 

Grace for your spirit 12-13-16

Grace for your spirit

I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which are about to die;  Revelation 3:1-2

This message from Jesus is addressed to one of the churches in Revelation, but may apply directly to us.  Are we "Standing on the Promises", or "Sleeping on the Premises"?  The name on our building may say we are alive, but are they like tombs with dead men's bones inside?  Is there still time to put us on life support, wake us up, and bring us back to life?  Yes, there is!  Let's Jesus, our spiritual EMT, go to work right now.

Grace for your spirit 12-12-16

Grace for your spirit

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.  Now the names of the apostles are these:

The list of the 12 apostles are listed later in these verses.  Before this time they were referred to as disciples. Now He beings to call them apostles. Why?  A disciple is a follower and a learner.  An apostle is one who is sent.  This commission they received change their identity.  We all began as disciples, followers, and learners.  When we run with the Great Commission, we fulfill the role of apostles.  First we come, take, and learn.  Then we go, disciple others, baptize and teach.  Let's fulfill our commission to come and go.