Grace for your spirit 12-23-16

Grace for your spirit

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign;  Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

This was the sign to Israel, to Joseph, and Mary, and the whole world.  Immanuel literally means God with us.  John says of it, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."  Can we read the sign?  The force of God's will is unstoppable.  Like Mary, let's treasure all these things in our heart.  Wishing  you all a very Merry Christmas.

Grace for your spirit 12-22-16

Grace for your spirit

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.  Isaiah 9:7

Isaiah was called the Messianic prophet.  He told the story of the coming Messiah over 700 years before He appeared. They mistook the government and the kingdom for an earthly event.  The justice and righteousness forevermore would come from Jesus on His throne in heaven, after he achieved it in Jerusalem.  His kingdom really will endure forever.  Let's make sure we are a part of it.

Grace for your spirit 12-21-16

Grace for your spirit

A voice is calling.  Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.  Isaiah 40:3

John the Baptist became that voice the prophets talked about, calling in the wilderness.  His mission was to knock down the obstacles that were in the way of Jesus.  To condition those who were searching for Jesus to get ready.  John the Baptist never told people to look at him, but to look to the one who would follow him.  Jesus, the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world.

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.