Hamas’s December 7 attack on Israel was not new. Nor was it isolated as a current event.But it was horrific and violent.
There are reports now of sexual violence against Jewish women, gang rapes, murders, and slaughters. children and even babies were slaughtered.
Hamas hates Isreal so much that their charter says their objective for the attack is to eradicate the entire Jewish population.
But Hamas is just the latest clan to desire to wipe the Jewish people off the face of the earth.
Since the Jewish people were created almost 4,000 years ago, God announced that they were his people and God promised to protect them and provide for their needs if they rebelled against Him over and over.
Other countries have tried to wipe the entire Jewish people out. Every attempt has failed.
This is not a rare phenomena about war or historical events.
Here are the groups of folks who have tried and failed to eradicate God’s people.
The Egyptians, the Philistines, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Romans, Nazis in World Two, and Terror groups.
But these wont be the last folks to try. Folks have to remember these are God’s people and His hand of portion will always be on them.
Before we can impact the world and become a part of his story we must understand who He really is and his purpose for creating us.
Most of us can say with confidence and believe he’s the creator of the universe and everything in it and beyond. He knows everything about us. He sees everything we do and everything we say or think, He is omnipresent. He is everywhere at once. He is everywhere in the universe He created and beyond all at once.
Sadly there are millions of folks all over the planet who don’t believe in God or have ever heard of him. There are people who hate God. Atheists don’t believe there is a God,
An agnostic is a person who does not have a definite belief about whether God exists or not —
God has given Jesus the authority over God’s Kingdom on earth Jesus’ authority is absolute. a person who does not have a definite belief about whether God exists or not — a person who does not have a definite belief about whether God exists or not —
Jesus has power . This supernatural and divine energy or power quite literally fills and indwells the bodies and souls of every born-again believer. God does not call upon us to speculate about the nature of this power. He does not want us to envision it merely as an idea. His desi>very belief is that we avail ourselves of it to partner with him in his purposes on earth.
Probably the most remarkable authority God has entrusted to Jesus is the power to forgive any and all sins of any believer.
Theologians and Biblical scholars have written volumes about God and Who he is, but this next attribute perfectly describes God. But no Scriptures reveal a hint of definition of it
God Is love
Think about it. GOD LOVES YOU. He Loves me. God has forgiven all your sins. No matter what you’ve done or when you’ve done them, or how long you’ve done them. Jesus was crucified on the cross at Calvary and paid the price for all of them.
I urge you sometime this week find a quiet place. Sit down in a comfortable chair and put everything else out of mind and think only about this thought “God loves me.”
It’s time to stand up church, take a stand, and be steadfast and courageous.
Before we can make any progress impacting the world, Church, we’ve got to repent.
We’ve got to change our minds about the church and its mission and start moving in the opposite direction.
Fortunately, the Apostle Paul had some sound advice to aid our repentance.
In his letter to the Ephesians Paul writes, “Be imitators of God, as his dear children. 2 Live lovingly, just as the Messiah[a] also loved us[b] and gave himself for us as’ an offering and sacrifice, a fragrant aroma to God. 3 Do not let sexual sin, impurity of any kind, or greed even be mentioned among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscene, flippant, or vulgar talk is totally inappropriate. Instead, let there be thanksgiving.
For you know very well that no immoral or impure person, or anyone who is greedy (an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah[c] and of God.”
But now you must also getridof anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene speech, and all such sins. Colossians 3:8
For far too long the church has maintained the statis quo. They still hold worship services and deliver lots of feel-good sermons. They even sprinkle a few Scriptures in the messages. They still have Sunday school and Vacation Bible for the kids in Summer.
They participate in the Food Bank the YMCA organizes at the start of school every Fall.
That’s what thousands and thousands of “Christians” call church. And most of those “Christians” are satisfied with ho things are going.
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Don’t wallow in the muck and mire of mediocrity of this world and the Church’s real mission: “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.”
We will publish posts each Sunday in December, the 10th, 17th,24th and 31st. Don’t miss one. You will be blessed,
“God created mankind for eternity so striving would be integral to his nature.
“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus,” Blaise Pascal.
But before we explore this God-shaped hole in our hearts, let’s make sure we understand our hearts.
The heart is the seat of God’s love. It is where God dispenses his compassion, his never-ending , unyielding, kindness unshakable love, his faithfulness his goodness, his devotion, his mercy and his devotion And he loves to show us his love more than anything else he does. In fact, God’s word tells us God spend his whole day dispensing those attributes of God’s character wherever and however they’re needed to whomever needs them.
Think about this for a moment: while God is busy doing this, he’s got the whole world to run all at the same time without a lunch break or nap.
This frail, gentle tissue sack called our heart God places this hole that only He can fill.
The operative phrase here is “that only He can fill.“
So this fleshy tender bundle of cells impacts our breathing, our birthdays, our anniverasies. our well-wishes, our get-wells, 0r sympathies, our holidays, our thinking-of-yous, our apologies, our just-becauses, our I’m sorries, our engagements,our thank yous–Any time we want to express our emotions, the vehicle we depend on time and again is our heart,
You’d think the way the heart functions and ts used in our lives it would be held in high regard, but scripture casts a different light on the heart.
Jeremiah17:9says “The heart is deceitful above all things
The hearts of men are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live.The sinful man is hostile to God law. It does not submit to God’s law nor can it do so. Romans 8:7
The problem, though is that humanity ignores this hole o r attempts to fill this hole iith things with things other than God. other than God. Sadl y, a whole bunch of people spend their lives looking for something other than God to fulfill their longing for meaning; and looking for things that are not eternal they remain fulfilled and wonder why their lives never seem satisfied.
The church as we know it is drifting farther and farther from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The most disturbing trend I see as evidence of this drift away from the Church is what’s happening in the United Methodist Church. It’s unsettling to me because I grew up in the Methodist Church. It pains me to read that more than 6,935 Methodist churches have abandoned the denomination, over 4,000 this year, over increasingly liberal social issues.
The liberal defectors and their congregations are seeking to infuse their new congregations and churches by allowing gay marriages, even though there are Biblical, prohibitions against it. They want to start allowing females to become clergy and deacons. They are embracing gender identity and the LGBTQ community.
The elephant in the room for all of this is simple–It’s ALL outside the will of God.
Bui here’s the wrinkle–God loves every one of them. He always has, He made every one of them.
God gave each of us a precious gift. He gave us all free will.
There are plenty of disobedient out there. God is pursuing you. He wants you to become his child, his children.
Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and surrender my life. Wash me clean. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That he died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day for my Victory, I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth, that Jesus is my Savior and Lord.
If you’d like to become a child of God, You can become God’s child, you can be one right now, right here.
Pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and surrender my life. Wash me clean. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day for my Victory, I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth, that Jesus is my Savior and Lord. If you prayed this prayer in earnest and believed its promises you have become a precious child of God.
For the past decade or so we have witnessed a withering away of church attendance and churches They have adopted a philosophy of inclusion and have been opening their doors to the culture and the woke mobs. Take a closer look and in some cases, it’s hard to distinguish the authentic church-going folks from the culture-infested folks who claim to be Christians in name only.
God created each of us with a small hole in our heart that only God can fill. God also equipped each of us with a longing for eternity hoping all of us would find it.
Lots of folks spend a ton of energy and resources trying to outsmart God and fill that opening in our hearts with every manner of product or service imaginable.
There’s a significant difference between a crowd and a community of faith. A crowd is a large crowd gathered in a disorganized or unruly fashion. A community of faith is an organized group of people sharing the same religious beliefs.
We often hear people say they feel comfortable and safe following the crowd.
If you consider yourself a part of the crowd now; it’s time for you to walk away from the crowd, repent and start living the life God has created you to live, as a devoted follower of Christ. It will take a radical 180-degree turn in the opposite direction to the worldly direction you’re walking in now. It will not be easy. You will be misunderstood, you will face rejection, and you will suffer unparalleled persecution. Christians are the most persecuted group of people on the planet. You will undergo frequent death threats. You will be ostracized, isolated, ignored, and beaten for your new life.
Radical. left-wing elements of our society and culture are dedicated to redefining our institutions, our government, our education system, our political system, our definition of marriage, our sexuality, our gender identity, and even in some cases our churches and even our institutions of higher learning.
We are witnessing a slow, methodical, and unhealthy pivot in our civilization and it’s influence on the church.
No place can escape this encroachment of the radical, left-wing push to control everything we hold dear. Can you imagine a church’s highest virtue being not to offend anyone?
The church is not immune to this radical movement
We’re called to separate ourselves from the crowd. We are called to be different–how?
The Bible tells us how to walk away from the crowd
So put everything evil out of your life: sexual sin, doing anything immoral, letting sinful thoughts”get control of you, and wanting wrong things. And don’t keep wanting more and more for yourself, which is the same as false god. 6 God will show his anger against those who don’t:”obey him,[a] because they do these evil things. 7 You also did these things in the past, when you lived like them. So put everything evil out of your life: sexual sin, doing anything immoral, letting sinful thoughts”get control of you, and wanting wrong things. And don’t keep wanting more and more for yourself, which is the same as false god. 6 God will show his anger against those who don’t:”obey him,[a] because they do these evil things. 7 You also did these things in the past, when you lived like them.”So put everything evil out of your life: sexual sin, doing anything immoral, letting sinful thoughts”get control of you, and wanting wrong things. And don’t keep wanting more and more for yourself, which is the same as false god. 6 God will show his anger against those who don’t: “obey him,[a because they do these evil things. 7 You also did these things in the past, when you lived like them.
“But now put these things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things. 9 Don’t lie to each other. You have taken off those old clothes—the person you once were and the bad things you did then. 10 Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him. 11 In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian.[b] It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things. 9 Don’t lie to each other. You have taken off those old clothes—the person you once were and the bad things you did then. 10 Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him. 11 In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian.[b] It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.”
“But now put these things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things. 9 Don’t lie to each other. You have taken off those old clothes—the person you once were and the bad things you did then. 10 Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him. 11 In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian.[b] It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things. 9 Don’t lie to each other. You have taken off those old clothes—the person you once were and the bad things you did then. 10 Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him. 11 In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian.[b] It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.”
I grew up in a quiet mid-western Iowa farming town of about 4.800. Shenandoah was home to Iowa’s largest hybrid corn, Dekalb Nursury, and remains an innovation in the state’s agriculture.
Most folks would call the Sawyers a typical Midwestern family, one dad, one mom, two brothers, one older and one four years younger, and Corkey our adorable beagle. My dad ran The Shenandoah Floral. Mom worked in several retail stores. Sam and I played in the band when school was in and I played baseball in the summer.
Then when I was a freshman in high school the bus ran off the rails. Our whole family life e changed. Dad became an alcoholic. He became a control freak and tried his best
to make everyone’s life miserable. He complained about everything. I remained his target for criticism.
I developed my own sharp tongue and critical spirit and took any cheap shot I could get in,
I rebelled any way I thought I could. I found some girls who liked to party. But the icing on the cake for me was my dad’s porn magazines. He had them in the bathroom, the bedroom, the closet, the basement, and his flower shop. He didn’t care if I read and looked at them. The only thing he ever said ever about them to me, was, “There are some pictures of women in my closet. Don’t bother them.”
I became addicted to his porn at 10 or 11 and it lasted to haunted me for decades.
Dad, I was in prayer the other night and God spoke very clearly to me and told me we have to reconcile our relationship. That means I need to ask you to forgive me for all the things I’ve done to you and our family. And I need to forgive you for all the things you have done to hurt me.
We probably won’t completely reconcile until we meet in our Father’s House You’ve been basking in God’s love now since March 25 ,2005. I’ll get there one of these days then we can have that glorious reunion we’ve been looking for all these years.
Every time Planned Parenhood advocates or has anything to do with facilitating, planning or carrying out an abortion they kill a life–potentially a child of God, the person who discovers the cure for cancer; a concert pianist; a janitor; but now what could have been a child of God will be tossed out with the afternoon trash.
Like so many other companies and organizations and groups, even churches, PP has joined this cadre of anti-anything to do with Christianity, including antisemitism
So what does your Christianity look like these days ? On a scale of 1 being almost a Pagan and 10 being a totally committed, totally surrender walking with the Lord everyday Christian? This is a self-graded review.
How did you fare? Did you take some time to evaluate some areas of your Christian life that may need some of your time or attention to improvre?
Many churches have morphed into something that looks and resembles more like the culture than it does a bonified Christian community of believers.
Another group that’s encroaching on Christianity is the LCBTQ crowd. They’re all struggling to find it. They’re saturating the entertainment industry in gross public displays of their sexuality. As long as they claim their identity as LGBTQ they will never be legitimate. They will always be outside God’s law.
This week I’m moving to a new residence. I’m having my laptop and printer worked on and updated, and will return to a full schedule of posts. In the meantime commit to love the Lord and serve him only.
2 Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.
4 Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David (called Bethlehem), because he was a descendant[a] of the household and family of David. 5 He went there[b] to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.
6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, 7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters.
The Shepherds Visit Jesus
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 Then the angel told them, “Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. 11 Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah,[c] was born in the City of David. 12 And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”[d]
15 When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds told one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them. 20 Then the shepherds returned to their flock,[e] glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
Jesus is Circumcised
21 After eight days had passed, the infant[f] was circumcised and named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus is Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary[g] took Jesus[h] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn son is to be designated as holy to the Lord.”[i]24 They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[j]
25 Now a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. This man was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel,[k] and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die[l] until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.[m]
27 Led[n] by the Spirit, he went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon[o] took the infant[p] in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your promise, 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared for all people to see— 32 a light that will reveal salvation[q] to unbelievers[r] and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus’[s] father and mother kept wondering at the things being said about him. 34 Then Simeon[t] blessed them and told Mary, his mother, “This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Also, he will be a sign that will be opposed. 35 Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed.”
36 Now Anna, a prophetess, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the Temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer. 38 Just then she came forward and began to thank God and to speak about Jesus[u] to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 After doing everything required by the Law of the Lord, Joseph and Mary[v] returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 Meanwhile, the child continued to grow and to become strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor rested upon him.
Jesus Visits the Temple
41 Every year Jesus’[w] parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When Jesus[x] was twelve years old, they went up to the festival as usual. 43 When the days of the festival[y] were over, they left for home. The young man Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 They thought that he was in their group of travelers. After traveling for a day, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching desperately for him. 46 Three days later, they found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and posing questions to them. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. 48 When Jesus’ parents[z] saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!”
49 He asked them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?”[aa]50 But they did not understand what he told them. 51 Then he went back with them, returning to Nazareth and remaining in submission to them. His mother continued to treasure all these things in her heart.
Why would God pick lowly shepherds as the ones to reveal the Messiah to. After all Shepherds were not notable men in the community. They weren’t politically savvy. They weren’t held in high regard by the people of the town.
In fact, God chose just the right people to share His news because these humble men did exactly what God wanted them to do. They took the good news of His son’s birth and shared it with others — and as a result, their lives were never the same.
If something wonderful happened to you, who would you tell first? Your husband or wife, brother or sister, parents, or best friend? When God wanted to spread the good news of His Son’s birth, who did He tell? Religious leaders, wealthy prominent citizens, well-learned men? No, actually, God told shepherds.
The shepherds were not afraid of what other people thought when they shared the news of Christ’s birth. They didn’t overthink the situation and talk themselves out of telling their fellow man about the miraculous event. They were exuberant and overjoyed at having seen their Savior.
God chose the most unlikely unskilled, untalented, poor, rough, rugged, smelly folks he could find
spread the good news who just happened to be shepherds. They had a purpose and they were obedient to God’s call to spread the good news of the Messiah’s arrival
These three shepherd would become a permanent fixture in the Christmas story.
As God used these three shepherds he can use you too to glorify his name. He doesn’t need the wealthy, he doesn’t need professionals, or politicians, or talented, or athletes or the government, or NCIS, He needs you to say, “I just want to serve you,Lord. Are you willing to stand up and declare your love for your Lord and serve Him?
When the Christmas season rolls around we sometimes ruminate about its origins. Who was around what was going on in the region and what else was happening? We think about Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and the wise men.
Actually none of that stuff has anything to do with how Christmas came to be. The first Christmas and the birth of the Messiah originated some 4,000 years ago.
Christmas as we know it today originated with GOD and Abraham and the Abrahamic Covenant.
God made promises to Abraham Abraham made covenants with God when he received the gospel, when he was ordained a high priest, and when he entered into celestial marriage. In these covenants, God promised great blessings to Abraham and his family. These blessings, which extend to all of Abraham’s seed, eventually to all of us called the Abrahamic covenant. It is still in force today,
If only we had another $500 we could get that second car. If only Sarah would go to rehab. What would you do if something happened to me? Who would raise the girls? If only our bank would approve that loan. If only I could lose these last 25 pounds I could buy some new clothes?
What would you do if mom got disabled? How would take care of her?
an expectation is a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen
So many people lug around the relentless weight of unmet expectations. So if you’re counting on someone to do something for you and they fail to do it, that is an unmet expectation.
Let’s say you tell your brother you’ll pick him up after school. You drive to school and he’s not there. You find out later that he forgot and went to shoot baskets with his friends. That is an unmet expectation. People use them all the time. If only’s are dangerous, so is ”what if” and “what happens. Using these excuses keeps the speaker dwelling in the past or some future event.
These unmet expectations keep people from dealing realistically with the present.
A dear friend of mine and I were discussing plans my wife and I have for our life shortly. This friend started asking me about how I would respond if certain things happened m months or years from now. I told my friend they were crazy. I said there’s no way they could prepare how to prepare an event
2 Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.
4 Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David (called Bethlehem), because he was a descendant[a] of the household and family of David. 5 He went there[b] to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.
6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, 7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters.
The Shepherds Visit Jesus
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 Then the angel told them, “Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. 11 Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah,[c] was born in the City of David. 12 And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”[d]
15 When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds told one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them. 20 Then the shepherds returned to their flock,[e] glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
Jesus is Circumcised
21 After eight days had passed, the infant[f] was circumcised and named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus is Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary[g] took Jesus[h] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn son is to be designated as holy to the Lord.”[i]24 They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[j]
25 Now a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. This man was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel,[k] and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die[l] until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.[m]
27 Led[n] by the Spirit, he went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon[o] took the infant[p] in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your promise, 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared for all people to see— 32 a light that will reveal salvation[q] to unbelievers[r] and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus’[s] father and mother kept wondering at the things being said about him. 34 Then Simeon[t] blessed them and told Mary, his mother, “This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Also, he will be a sign that will be opposed. 35 Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed.”
36 Now Anna, a prophetess, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the Temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer. 38 Just then she came forward and began to thank God and to speak about Jesus[u] to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 After doing everything required by the Law of the Lord, Joseph and Mary[v] returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 Meanwhile, the child continued to grow and to become strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor rested upon him.
Jesus Visits the Temple
41 Every year Jesus’[w] parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When Jesus[x] was twelve years old, they went up to the festival as usual. 43 When the days of the festival[y] were over, they left for home. The young man Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 They thought that he was in their group of travelers. After traveling for a day, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching desperately for him. 46 Three days later, they found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and posing questions to them. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. 48 When Jesus’ parents[z] saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!”
49 He asked them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?”[aa]50 But they did not understand what he told them. 51 Then he went back with them, returning to Nazareth and remaining in submission to them. His mother continued to treasure all these things in her heart. 52 Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.
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2 Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.
4 Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David (called Bethlehem), because he was a descendant<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24978a” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24978a” title=”See footnote a”>a[a] of the household and family of David. 5 He went there<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24979b” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24979b” title=”See footnote b”>b[b] to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.
6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, 7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters.
The Shepherds Visit Jesus
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 Then the angel told them, “Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. 11 Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah,<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24985c” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24985c” title=”See footnote c”>c[c] was born in the City of David. 12 And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24988d” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24988d” title=”See footnote d”>d[d]
15 When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds told one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them. 20 Then the shepherds returned to their flock,<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24994e” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24994e” title=”See footnote e”>e[e] glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
Jesus is Circumcised
21 After eight days had passed, the infant<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24995f” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24995f” title=”See footnote f”>f[f] was circumcised and named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus is Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24996g” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24996g” title=”See footnote g”>g[g] took Jesus<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24996h” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24996h” title=”See footnote h”>h[h] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn son is to be designated as holy to the Lord.”<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24997i” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24997i” title=”See footnote i”>i[i]24 They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24998j” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24998j” title=”See footnote j”>j[j]
25 Now a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. This man was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel,<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-24999k” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-24999k” title=”See footnote k”>k[k] and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25000l” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25000l” title=”See footnote l”>l[l] until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25000m” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25000m” title=”See footnote m”>m[m]
27 Led<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25001n” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25001n” title=”See footnote n”>n[n] by the Spirit, he went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25002o” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25002o” title=”See footnote o”>o[o] took the infant<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25002p” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25002p” title=”See footnote p”>p[p] in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peaceaccording to your promise,30 because my eyes have seen your salvation,31 which you prepared for all people to see—32 a light that will reveal salvation<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25006q” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25006q” title=”See footnote q”>q[q] to unbelievers<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25006r” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25006r” title=”See footnote r”>r[r]and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus’<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25007s” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25007s” title=”See footnote s”>s[s] father and mother kept wondering at the things being said about him. 34 Then Simeon<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25008t” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25008t” title=”See footnote t”>t[t] blessed them and told Mary, his mother, “This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Also, he will be a sign that will be opposed. 35 Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed.”
36 Now Anna, a prophetess, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the Temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer. 38 Just then she came forward and began to thank God and to speak about Jesus<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25012u” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25012u” title=”See footnote u”>u[u] to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 After doing everything required by the Law of the Lord, Joseph and Mary<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25013v” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25013v” title=”See footnote v”>v[v] returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 Meanwhile, the child continued to grow and to become strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor rested upon him.
Jesus Visits the Temple
41 Every year Jesus’<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25015w” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25015w” title=”See footnote w”>w[w] parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When Jesus<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25016x” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25016x” title=”See footnote x”>x[x] was twelve years old, they went up to the festival as usual. 43 When the days of the festival<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25017y” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25017y” title=”See footnote y”>y[y] were over, they left for home. The young man Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 They thought that he was in their group of travelers. After traveling for a day, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching desperately for him. 46 Three days later, they found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and posing questions to them. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. 48 When Jesus’ parents<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25022z” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25022z” title=”See footnote z”>z[z] saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!”
49 He asked them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?”<span data-fn=”#fen-ISV-25023aa” class=”footnote” data-link=”[<a href=”#fen-ISV-25023aa” title=”See footnote aa”>aa[aa]50 But they did not understand what he told them. 51 Then he went back with them, returning to Nazareth and remaining in submission to them. His mother continued to treasure all these things in her heart. 52 Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.
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2 Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.
4 Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David (called Bethlehem), because he was a descendant[a] of the household and family of David. 5 He went there[b] to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.
6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, 7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters.
The Shepherds Visit Jesus
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 Then the angel told them, “Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. 11 Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah,[c] was born in the City of David. 12 And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”[d]
15 When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds told one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them. 20 Then the shepherds returned to their flock,[e] glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
Jesus is Circumcised
21 After eight days had passed, the infant[f] was circumcised and named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus is Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary[g] took Jesus[h] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn son is to be designated as holy to the Lord.”[i]24 They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[j]
25 Now a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. This man was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel,[k] and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die[l] until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.[m]
27 Led[n] by the Spirit, he went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon[o] took the infant[p] in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your promise, 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared for all people to see— 32 a light that will reveal salvation[q] to unbelievers[r] and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus’[s] father and mother kept wondering at the things being said about him. 34 Then Simeon[t] blessed them and told Mary, his mother, “This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Also, he will be a sign that will be opposed. 35 Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed.”
36 Now Anna, a prophetess, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the Temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer. 38 Just then she came forward and began to thank God and to speak about Jesus[u] to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 After doing everything required by the Law of the Lord, Joseph and Mary[v] returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 Meanwhile, the child continued to grow and to become strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor rested upon him.
Jesus Visits the Temple
41 Every year Jesus’[w] parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When Jesus[x] was twelve years old, they went up to the festival as usual. 43 When the days of the festival[y] were over, they left for home. The young man Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 They thought that he was in their group of travelers. After traveling for a day, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching desperately for him. 46 Three days later, they found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and posing questions to them. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. 48 When Jesus’ parents[z] saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!”
49 He asked them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?”[aa]50 But they did not understand what he told them. 51 Then he went back with them, returning to Nazareth and remaining in submission to them. His mother continued to treasure all these things in her heart. 52 Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.
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On the road to Emmaus Jesus appears to two disciples. This is the longest single post-resurrection narrative in the gospels. Just prior to this encounter, Jesus appears to Mary of Magdala in John. Luke’s account of Jesus’ appearance in the afternoon is unique. Alfred Plummer (Plummer, Commentary, 552) believes that Luke received the narrative from an eye-witness account and that the narrator was Cleopas.
Jesus appears mysteriously to the depressed and disillusioned disciples on the road to Emmaus on the afternoon of his Resurrection. This road is approximately 11 kilometres from Jerusalem. The disciples think that Jesus is a pilgrim who must have witnessed Jesus’ Death. During the walk Jesus remains ignorant about the events of the past few days. He listens intently to their discussion. The disciples tell him of their shattered hopes and dreams for Jesus, the prophet, who through his great and mighty works and preaching would redeem Israel. The concept of redemption for these disciples and for many other Jews meant that a conquering, all-powerful Messiah would come and lead them to freedom. Their idea of redemption had been decimated by the death of Jesus. They also believed that the women’s story of Jesus’ Resurrection was simply an idle tale.
Jesus, still the stranger to the disciples, proceeds to explain through scriptures that fulfilment of the expectation of the People of God for a Messiah had been accomplished through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
Upon arriving at Emmaus the disciples welcome the stranger, who has now become the companion on the journey, to stay and prepare to spend the night with them. Jesus remains and takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it and gives it to them. It is at this moment, as the scriptures have been t
This explained to them that their hearts burn, they are transformed and they realise their companion is the Risen Jesus. It is the message of faith nourished by Jesus, the living bread that many believers take from this narrative. Believers are sustained by faith in Jesus that burns within their hearts.
Another universal message for believers is that death does not put an end to one’s life. However, the essence of this passage is that the Messiah must suffer and die before he enters glory (24:26). This explains that the death of Jesus, the Messiah was in keeping with the Scripture
If only we had another $500 we could get that second car. If only Sarah would go to rehab. What would you do if something happened to me? Who would raise the girls? If only our bank would approve that loan. If only I could lose these last 25 pounds I could buy some new clothes?
What would you do if mom got disabled? How would take care of her?
an expectation is a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen
So many people lug around the relentless weight of unmet expectations. So if you’re counting on someone to do something for you and they fail to do it, that is an unmet expectation.
Let’s say you tell your brother you’ll pick him up after school. You drive to school and he’s not there. You find out later that he forgot and went to shoot baskets with his friends. That is an unmet expectation. People use them all the time. If only’s are dangerous, so is ”what if” and “what happens. Using these excuses keeps the speaker dwelling in the past or some future event.
These unmet expectations keep people from dealing realistically with the present.
A dear friend of mine and I were discussing plans my wife and I have for our life shortly. This friend started asking me about how I would respond if certain things happened m months or years from now. I told my friend they were crazy. I said there’s no way they could prepare how to prepare an event
Now the day after the resurection two of Jesus’ followers on the road were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared f32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.Read full chapter
Ordinary men with an extraordinary story “When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, ‘Let us go straight to Bethlehem then,and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’ ” Luke 2:15 In Jesus’ day shepherds were not popular in most social circles.Their jobs were dirty, their only companions were often their sheep and a few fellow shepherds. They were nomadic and unschooled. Folks considered them common and ordinary. They were ordinary men with an extraordinary story.
Israel is probably the most hated country in the world. She has been at war longer than she has been at peace.
Today the tiny country the size of New Jersey is at war with Hamas. Hamas’s sole objective for going to war with Israel was to exterminate the entire population from the face of the earth.
Hamas’s sole objective for going to war with Israel was to exterminate the entire population from the earth.
But Hamas had to wait in line for centuries before they’d get their shot at annihilating the Jewish people. Starting with the Egyptians, every time a group or country came to power, the goal was to eradicate the Jewish people. Then came the Philistines, then the Babylonians and then the Persians, then the Romans and the Nazis in World War 2. Then came the terrorists. Now it’s Hamas. Every attempt to rid the planet of the Jewish People has failed. We have to go back some 4,000 years to the Abrahamic Covenant.
There is a very good reason no nation has succeeded in obliterating the Jewish People.
You see God made a covenant with Abraham, God promised Abraham that He would multiply his descendants as the stars in the sky. He would be their God and forever give them a specific piece of land that they would call their homeland forever. Yet even before that, God said He would bless Abraham and his descendants so that all the families of the earth would be blessed.
So the Jewish People became God’s people and God promised to protect them and provide for them always. And God promised to be with them always and never leave them no matter how many times they rebelled against him and they did many times.
As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.”
We must pray for Israel and the Jewish people. The atrocities they are enduring are despicable. Pray for the conflict to end and for the killing of innocent civilians and children to stop.
In Isaiah 41 God says to the nation of Israel, “Those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish…those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.”
I
Israel is probably the most hated country in the world. She has been at war longer than she has been at peace. Today the tiny country the size of New Jersey is at war with Hamas.
If we hope to survive in this grisly deteriorating world we live in, the Church better wake up. Most folks discount or consider the Church as a panacea for solving our myriad problems. But the Church of Jesus Christ is our last and only hope.
Some horribly misguided folks who call themselves politicians claim that the political system is the answer to all our country’s problems. They are not only dead wrong, they are responsible for many of the problems we’re struggling with now. All they know how to do is spend all our tax dollars. Then every two years they get up and swap seats on the other side of the aisle.
For the past several decades or so we have witnessed a withering away of church attendance and churches They have adopted a philosophy of inclusion and have been opening their doors to the culture and the woke mobs. Take a closer look and in some cases, it’s hard to distinguish the authentic church-going folks from the culture-infested folks who claim to be Christians in name only.
Politicians were not the only faction of folks thinking they were smarter than everyone else.
The education system and the Teacher’s union want a say in how they can fix everything that’s wrong with our country. Then there’s the business community, then Amazon could probably figure something out. Maybe the AI folks could do something. Maybe Walmart.
But all these powerful, influential folks totally miss the mark.
The Church of Jesus Christ is our only hope, our last hope, for turning this behemoth around.
Thousands of church-goers claim to call themselves Christians are not authentic believers. They go to church sometimes, read their bibles sometimes, recite the Ten Commandments, quote the Lord’s Prayer from memory, toss a couple of dollars in the collection plate when they go, and mow their invalid neighbor’s grass once in a while. All these things are good for building character and relationships.
But none of them punch your ticket to Heaven. They have forgotten what The Gospel of Jesus Christ is and what we’re supposed to do with it.
Wake up Church. Put away your syndicated bible studies and leave your small groups and fellowship after Church. For too long we’ve been traveling on our way with Jesus and looking for an exit ramp. We’ve been cowardly. We’ve not proclaimed our faith. Sadly our faith is not welcome in the public square any more. Lots of these folks are content to just let life go by and just leave everything the way it is. That’s a terrible mindset and will us to a cowardly disappointment. We have too much work to do to let that happen.
Repentance is not a one time one and done gesture. Repentance is a continuous process. Why? Because none of us is perfectTo the followers of Jesus Christ repent means to turn to God and turn from evil. Repenting is what brings us close to God and ensures our salvation. Repentance is a heartfelt conviction of sin, a contrition over the offense to God, a turning away from the sinful way of life, and a turning towards a God-honoring way of life.
Scripture has a lot to say about repentance, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19
So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sistersins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.
Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” Luke 17:3
So repentance for me and most folks trying to live Christ-like lives means turning back to my way of life I was attempting to live as surendered, purposful follower of Jesus. That means getting rid of all the evil in my life as well as bad, destructive attitudes. I should avoiod hanging around people who do not mirror my positive attitudes and Christ-like character.
As you begin living out your journey of repentaance you won’t do it alone. The Holy Spirit Spirit will be with you every step of the way. He will guide you in al l truth. Also He will also guide you into wisdom and positive choices. He will also make you aware of bad decisions ahead and directions you should avoid.
You have a choice of the mind you want to cultivate to shape the lifestyle you want to live.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, given God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect choice.
So you think your lifestyle would suit you and your family better if you conformed to the pattern of the world. TIn other words you’d be satisfied living the same way you’ve been living conformed to the ways of the world. Many church folks we talk to today seem to think the church has been cozying up to the world for too long. It’s not a bad thing for the world to staet hangout at church; but its not a good thing for church folks to conform to the ways of the world.
The church is looking and acting more like the world every day.
you’d be happy
In Matthew Jesus teaches that there are two paths your life can take. One is a wide path and one is a narrow path.“Enter through the narrow gate, Jesus says. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Lots of church folks today seem to be gravitating toward the wide gate and the patterns of this world
There’s a significant difference between a crowd and a community of faith.
A crowd is a large number of people gathered together in a disorganized or unruly way. A A A community of faith is a community of people sharing the same religious faith. We often hear people say they feel good following the crowd.
If you consider yourself a part of the crowd now it’s time to step away from the crowd. You belong to a community of faith. You need to step away from the crowd. You need to start living out the destiny God created for you.
The world is in turmoil. Everything is changing. The institutions we used to revere are deteriorating and falling into cheating, money-grubbing hands. Our educational system is morphing into woke socialism and policies and practices and subjects unheard of when we were in school. The church is not immune to the upheaval we see happening. For instance, a recent survey found that among professing Christians, there are 35% less professing Christians today than ten years ago.
If a male student nowadays decides he wants to be a girl, or if a girl decides she wants to be a boy, they don’t even tell the parents. And the whole transvestite lie and ruining is just the tip of our culture-tragedy is ruining children’s lives as well as adults.
We have a golden opportunity to reintroduce Jesus to the culture. I think if the truth be known, the culture is famished for the truth of the gospel of Jesus. But there will be those skeptics and non-believers who’d rather do things they’re working just fine the way they are.
So what would like if you decided to walk away from the crowd? Lots of Bible walked away from the crowd and Jesus transformed their lives. So he left Judea and went back to Galilee. On his way he had to cut through Samaria; In Samaria, Jesus came to the town called Sychar. While there he met a Samaritan woman Jesus transformed her life. She became the first person to reveal Jesus to as the Messiah.
The woman at the well walked away from the crowd. She ran to town and everyone about the Messiah. The people in the village wanted to see the Messiah so they went to the well where the woman saw Jesus and they stayed for two days listening day to Jesus.
It’s time for well-meaning Christians stuck in a crowd or a culture that is ruining our country to walk away.
So walk away. Take Jesus with you to work. Take Jesus with you to Walmart. Take Jesus with you to post on Facebook. Take Jesus with you on your family vacation. Take Jesus with you to restaurants, to ball games,and concerts.
You know when you walk away from the crowd with Jesus you do two things to honor God. You introduce to different people and opportunities for interactions with him.
And it gives you the opportunity to interact with them in ways you can show them Jesus’ love especially if they express concern or a need in their life. Maybe their job Is wearing them out.
“Let’s pray. Father,my friend Ray is feeling exhausted and frustrated from his job. Give him your him and clarity of purpose. Now that you’ve l eft the crowd and opened the invitation to pray others may take up the invitation to pray with you and walk away from the crowd themselves.
"...Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19: 11-12
Sharing the Gospel message of hope, strength, love, and peace through Jesus Christ to those who are hurting in their soul or spirit. This is the mission of Healthy Mind Ministry
"...Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19: 11-12
Sharing the Gospel message of hope, strength, love, and peace through Jesus Christ to those who are hurting in their soul or spirit. This is the mission of Healthy Mind Ministry
For His Glory 