SURPRISED BY GOD
Sometimes, God surprises us WITH LESSONS WE CAN NEVER FORGET.
Meditation for December 25, 2009
Matt 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." 22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us." 24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, 25 and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. NASB
Introduction:
The world is full of frustrated people. Frustration in fact, seems to be frequent companion in our journey through life. The only people who will not be and cannot be frustrated are those who do not want anything in life and who do not dream of anything to achieve or acquire. They have full focus on what is important and completely detached from long-range dreams. You see, a bird does not dream of flying. It realizes it has the ability to fly so it flies to look for its food and to move from one place to the other. The fish does not dream of swimming. It swims to find its food and its not think of a warehouse where it can store its food for the next days. Some people are like the fish and like the birds and therefore, they cannot be frustrated and disappointed as birds and fish do not get disappointed. When people realize who they really are in the loving eyes of God and what He wants them to be in His omniscient plan, we will freed from our frustrations, fears, fidgetiness, and the like.
But, precisely because we are not fish nor birds, we develop dreams. We define (technical description) and describe (attractive definition) that which we long to have and long to see. We make plans. And precisely because we make plans, we dream, we define what we long to have and see, we become capable of being frustrated, but the other side of it, the good side of it, is that those who dream and make plans do have the possibility of experiencing the joy of achieving, the joy of fulfillment and the satisfaction brought about by accomplishment. Frustration is, in fact, unfulfilled expectation.
Let me tell you about the life of a typical Jew like Joseph, the man Mary was to take as her husband. In a Jewish society in those days, a man would be typically hardworking and would also be typically married. Many of the events in his life are dictated by rules and regulations but there is one period in his life where his personal decision is required. And here his dream develops.
When a boy is very young, his father will speak to another man, the father of a girl, and the fathers will agree to enter into an agreement about future of their son and daughter. This is the engagement. The boy is promised to be the husband of the girl and the girl is promised to be the wife of the boy. When they become of age, the fathers will meet again and this time both the former boy, now a man and the former child-girl, now a lady, are in attendance. Both will be asked if they wish to honor the engagement entered into by their parents. When they agree, they will be publicly introduced as betrothed or pledged to each other and they begin to be referred to as husband and wife. Here the dream develops and takes a definite form. The period of Betrothal, lasting for about a year, was used to make plans for the wedding which, by tradition has to be the grandest the couple can afford. The wedding can last for a week for those who can afford.
Joseph did have a dream. He was betrothed to Mary and the date of the wedding has been announced and preparations were underway. Then, disaster, or what seemed to have been a disaster, struck. The woman he was to marry was found to be with child and they have not yet lived together. In Tagalog, they would say: Nagbuntis ng hindi pa nahawakan. Natingnan lang, buntis na!
While we read this today and think about salvation as the main topic here, Joseph went through this event and I don’t think he was being doctrinal about it. I think his emotions were painfully high, his feelings severely wounded and his dreams shattered and splintered into many pieces. It was a big disappointment, a frustrating and unexpected hindrance to his dreams and happiness. He was not very prepared as we ourselves are not fully prepared for many of the frustrations we encounter along the way.
Since frustration can be a fairly challenging and overwhelming situation that some of us may go through at an unexpected phase of our life, let’s take a look at the frustrations of Joseph and learn from what he had to go through and what he was asked to do.
1. A LESSON ON HUMILITY: GOD’S PLAN BEFORE OUR PLAN . SURRENDER YOUR DREAMS. Mary, the wife to be, had become pregnant and must now be abandoned
Verse 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.
• The dream of a grand wedding is shattered. There will not be a wedding. Joseph had opted for a divorce.
• The dream of having a first born- a dream of important for a typical Jewish man, is shattered. Mary was carrying HER first born which was not HIS firstborn. Ouch, array, masakit, kumikirot.
2. A LESSON ON OBEDIENCE: GOD’S CHOICE BEFORE OUR CHOICES.
He was torn between his kindness and his hurt as a man. And his frustration was aggravated by the choices available to him: Dalawa lang: Public Divorce or Private Divorce.
Verse 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
The options were either a PUBLIC DIVORCE or A PRIVATE DIVORCE. Either way, his pain will not be cured. When our choices are limited, life becomes a very frustrating experience. Choices become painfully pressing and demanding. Here is an important lesson: when our choices are so limited (because our choices are made out of our limitations and our pains), God adds a third choice. He told Joseph through the angel to take Mary as his wife. Of course, God can always expand our options, as what happened in this case. Yes we can actually run out of options but not God. And when our options are not only painful but also pain-inflicting, God adds another choice. Be sensitive. He may have an additional choice for you.
In our life, we go through these very difficult situations and what aggravates the difficulty is the absence of many options. Options are there but unpleasant and seemingly insufficient and limited. Remember again, God is not like us. He never runs out of options and what is even more wonderful is that as He considers these options, He will do it in such a way that all things will work together for our good as Paul says in Romans.
3. A LESSON ON TRUST: GOD IS ALWAYS RIGHT SO I WILL TRUST HIM ALL THE MORE. Verse 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." 22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us." 24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, 25 and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Joseph started with frustration but then he realized that God was carrying out His plan for the world and the part of that plan is the coming of the Savior. And for the Savior to be truly free from contamination, he must not have a biological father but he must have a father in the eyes of men so that he does not get to be considered as a child of sin. Joseph was the man who would help Mary bring the Savior into the world not as her sexual partner but as a faithful servant of God and a sacrificial companion for her.
Anybody who thinks only of his own life and his own happiness will be badly disappointed and frustrated. Once he aligns his life and his plans with the plan of God, the meaning comes out and the burdens can actually become blessings.
Today is an invitation to face your frustrations with faith and find out what God wants you to do for Him because when we find that out, we get the meaning and purpose of our lives. Then, even the worst of our nightmares can become pleasant dreams. Our defeats can turn out to be our deliverance. Our Burdens may become our blessings. Our Frustrations may become our first fruits. Our sadness can become our gladness. Our painful solitude can become a joyful gratitude. Our pains can become our gains. God is not limited in His options for us.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
God gifts to the Shepherds
God gifts to the Shepherds:
An outline based on Luke 2:1-20.
1. THE GIFT OF A GREAT EXPERIENCE- Visited by angels. Heard angelic singing. Then ushered into the very presence of the Savior. What a rare and glorious experience. Let us ask God for a wonderful, great and glorious experience of each of us this season and in the coming years.
2. THE GIFT OF A GREAT JOY- The good news. The Savior has come. The Shepherds understood that the Messiah will not only give eternal life but will change their life while in this world. Let us pray for the gift of a great joy to be given to us not only this Christmas season but throughout our entire life.
3. THE GIFT OF A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO GOD’S WORK IN THE WORLD- The Shepherds were the first human beings to proclaim the Good News that the Savior has been born. Imagine such a wonderful contribution to the work of God in the world. Let’s pray for the privilege of being given a meaningful contribution to the work of God in the world
An outline based on Luke 2:1-20.
1. THE GIFT OF A GREAT EXPERIENCE- Visited by angels. Heard angelic singing. Then ushered into the very presence of the Savior. What a rare and glorious experience. Let us ask God for a wonderful, great and glorious experience of each of us this season and in the coming years.
2. THE GIFT OF A GREAT JOY- The good news. The Savior has come. The Shepherds understood that the Messiah will not only give eternal life but will change their life while in this world. Let us pray for the gift of a great joy to be given to us not only this Christmas season but throughout our entire life.
3. THE GIFT OF A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO GOD’S WORK IN THE WORLD- The Shepherds were the first human beings to proclaim the Good News that the Savior has been born. Imagine such a wonderful contribution to the work of God in the world. Let’s pray for the privilege of being given a meaningful contribution to the work of God in the world
THE GOOD NEWS IS FOR YOU!
THE GOOD NEWS IS FOR YOU!
Hark The Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley- appeared in 1739)
Except when otherwise indicated “Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Jesus Is The Reason for The Music Of The Season
Luke 2:1-20
2:1 Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 15 And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that 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." 16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
INTRODUCTION:
The Greek word AGGELOS and the Hebrew word MALAK both mean MESSENGER. Angels are messengers. Whenever we speak of messengers, we naturally consider that there is a message , the source of the message (God), the Carrier or deliverer of the Message (Angel), and the Recipient of the Message (Human Beings). This is precisely the situation in Luke 2.
In the Bible, two angels are mentioned as ARCHANGELS: Michael and Gabriel. The word Arch in arch in archangel means Prince or ruler. Archangel therefore means prince angel of prince of angels. The number of angels is not known to us but we are told that they number thousands upon thousands’ simply put, it is not a feasible task for human beings to try to find out how many angels there are.
Angels are, in their natural sate, invisible to us. However they, as in this passage, become visible. The modern word for this is MATERIALIZATION. The text tells us that the angels SUDDENLY APPEARED indicating a materialization which terrified the shepherds as a result.
In our text one angel, presumably Gabriel, brought the MAIN MESSAGE which is summarized as follows: Luke 2:11 .. today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "
A big number of angels materialized and did two things: THEY PRAISED GOD (probably a song) and they MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT: Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men with who He is pleased. WE KNOW WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED BUT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE SONG WAS!
Consider: THE ANGELS SANG BUT WE DO NOT WHAT THE SONG WAS! One thing is clear thought: JESUS CHRIST WAS THE REASON FOR MUSIC THAT NIGHT (Forever more). There was singing, rejoicing and praising that night for one reason: THE SAVIOR IS HERE. He was and He is still the reason for the music in our lives.
What can we learn about the song of the angels (the contents of which are not known to us)?
First: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A SONG OF GREAT GLADNESS
REASON: THE LONG AWAITED CHRIST HAS BEEN BORN. He is here now. The waiting is over. 10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Explanation: To them, the phrase HAS BEEN BORN was of such great power since it immediately brings to mind all the stories about waiting for the Messiah. Every Jewish family must have heard about the Messiah, the Savior who will come and deliver His people. They have been waiting for Him and now He is here at last! It would be like hearing the words: YOUR LONG WAIT IS OVER!
APPLICATION: Some of you may have been waiting for something for a long time. The good news is that God can say to you: YOUR LONG WAIT IS OVER. Why don’t you ask God and say: MY FATHER IN HEAVEN, LET ME HEAR YOU SAY TO ME: YOUR LONG IS OVER.
Second: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A SONG OF GREAT HOPE
10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Everyone knew that the Savior would bring deliverance, freedom and joy to His people.
Explanation: The Shepherds heard the starling news: The Messiah has been born for you. Then they heard the comforting part of the News: The Messiah has been born FOR YOU! The Great Shepherd Himself is here now and this news is FOR YOU! The shepherds, long familiar with the difficulties of life, now heard something new, something that inspires hope. They started rejoicing. Things will begin to change now. The shepherds have been placed by society at the lowest part- they did not enjoy the privileges other Jews enjoy because, by the nature of their job, they were constantly unable to wash their hands and the Jews required so much ceremonial washing. William Barclay tells us that like the tax collectors, they were not allowed to testify I the court of law because of their limited credibility! Now things will change. The messiah has come them.
APPLICATION: For some of us, life may not have been very kind. We have longed for a change to and that begins by hearing the news that brings hope. Some of us may have been waiting for a good news that brings hope. The shepherds heard the good news for THEM and the hope that cam along with it. Why don’t you ask God to give you your good news that is really FOR YOU and one that can bring hope?
PRAYER: Lord, make me hear the News that brings HOPE so I can be strong enough to stand and face all the challenges that life brings to me
Third: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A SONG OF GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT
The angel told them : I BRING YOU (they were the first recipients) good news of GREAT JOY.
Explanation: They were the recipient of the GOOD NEWS that brings great joy. That was the most encouraging news they have heard all their lives. They were shepherds, unwelcome in most parts of society- now they were to be ushered into the very presence of the Savior. The one who was born was one of them- the shepherds were familiar with mangers. The manger was a trough or an open box in which feed for livestock is placed. After all, their main job is to take care of animals and the manger is the feeding trough for animals.
Gladness, Hope and Encouragement. All these the shepherds received that night of nights. All these can be yours also. Ask Him who is our Father in heaven.
IN TAGALOG- tatapatan ng Diyos and iyong kabalisahan at kahinaan. No good news is really good enough if it is not FOR YOU! The good news of great joy is also FOR YOU!
Hark The Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley- appeared in 1739)
Except when otherwise indicated “Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Jesus Is The Reason for The Music Of The Season
Luke 2:1-20
2:1 Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 15 And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that 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." 16 And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
INTRODUCTION:
The Greek word AGGELOS and the Hebrew word MALAK both mean MESSENGER. Angels are messengers. Whenever we speak of messengers, we naturally consider that there is a message , the source of the message (God), the Carrier or deliverer of the Message (Angel), and the Recipient of the Message (Human Beings). This is precisely the situation in Luke 2.
In the Bible, two angels are mentioned as ARCHANGELS: Michael and Gabriel. The word Arch in arch in archangel means Prince or ruler. Archangel therefore means prince angel of prince of angels. The number of angels is not known to us but we are told that they number thousands upon thousands’ simply put, it is not a feasible task for human beings to try to find out how many angels there are.
Angels are, in their natural sate, invisible to us. However they, as in this passage, become visible. The modern word for this is MATERIALIZATION. The text tells us that the angels SUDDENLY APPEARED indicating a materialization which terrified the shepherds as a result.
In our text one angel, presumably Gabriel, brought the MAIN MESSAGE which is summarized as follows: Luke 2:11 .. today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "
A big number of angels materialized and did two things: THEY PRAISED GOD (probably a song) and they MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT: Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men with who He is pleased. WE KNOW WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED BUT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE SONG WAS!
Consider: THE ANGELS SANG BUT WE DO NOT WHAT THE SONG WAS! One thing is clear thought: JESUS CHRIST WAS THE REASON FOR MUSIC THAT NIGHT (Forever more). There was singing, rejoicing and praising that night for one reason: THE SAVIOR IS HERE. He was and He is still the reason for the music in our lives.
What can we learn about the song of the angels (the contents of which are not known to us)?
First: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A SONG OF GREAT GLADNESS
REASON: THE LONG AWAITED CHRIST HAS BEEN BORN. He is here now. The waiting is over. 10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Explanation: To them, the phrase HAS BEEN BORN was of such great power since it immediately brings to mind all the stories about waiting for the Messiah. Every Jewish family must have heard about the Messiah, the Savior who will come and deliver His people. They have been waiting for Him and now He is here at last! It would be like hearing the words: YOUR LONG WAIT IS OVER!
APPLICATION: Some of you may have been waiting for something for a long time. The good news is that God can say to you: YOUR LONG WAIT IS OVER. Why don’t you ask God and say: MY FATHER IN HEAVEN, LET ME HEAR YOU SAY TO ME: YOUR LONG IS OVER.
Second: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A SONG OF GREAT HOPE
10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Everyone knew that the Savior would bring deliverance, freedom and joy to His people.
Explanation: The Shepherds heard the starling news: The Messiah has been born for you. Then they heard the comforting part of the News: The Messiah has been born FOR YOU! The Great Shepherd Himself is here now and this news is FOR YOU! The shepherds, long familiar with the difficulties of life, now heard something new, something that inspires hope. They started rejoicing. Things will begin to change now. The shepherds have been placed by society at the lowest part- they did not enjoy the privileges other Jews enjoy because, by the nature of their job, they were constantly unable to wash their hands and the Jews required so much ceremonial washing. William Barclay tells us that like the tax collectors, they were not allowed to testify I the court of law because of their limited credibility! Now things will change. The messiah has come them.
APPLICATION: For some of us, life may not have been very kind. We have longed for a change to and that begins by hearing the news that brings hope. Some of us may have been waiting for a good news that brings hope. The shepherds heard the good news for THEM and the hope that cam along with it. Why don’t you ask God to give you your good news that is really FOR YOU and one that can bring hope?
PRAYER: Lord, make me hear the News that brings HOPE so I can be strong enough to stand and face all the challenges that life brings to me
Third: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A SONG OF GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT
The angel told them : I BRING YOU (they were the first recipients) good news of GREAT JOY.
Explanation: They were the recipient of the GOOD NEWS that brings great joy. That was the most encouraging news they have heard all their lives. They were shepherds, unwelcome in most parts of society- now they were to be ushered into the very presence of the Savior. The one who was born was one of them- the shepherds were familiar with mangers. The manger was a trough or an open box in which feed for livestock is placed. After all, their main job is to take care of animals and the manger is the feeding trough for animals.
Gladness, Hope and Encouragement. All these the shepherds received that night of nights. All these can be yours also. Ask Him who is our Father in heaven.
IN TAGALOG- tatapatan ng Diyos and iyong kabalisahan at kahinaan. No good news is really good enough if it is not FOR YOU! The good news of great joy is also FOR YOU!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Thoughts For the Day
Bread From Heaven Christian Fellowship
Thoughts For the Day
December 7 to 13, 2009
Except when otherwise indicated “Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME
Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns; Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders of His love.
Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was a nonconformist minister in England. This simply means that he was not a member of the Church Of England, the official church of the Empire. He is remembered as the Father of English Hymnody and he must have written more than 600 hymns. Some of his famous hymns are still with us today and still enjoyed by many: “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross; O God Our Help In Ages Past; Jesus Shall Reign.” His very famous contribution to the Christmas carols is the song JOY TO THE WORLD. We are told that the song was written not as a Christmas song but a Second Coming song but we enjoy it today as a Christmas song. It is also based on Psalm 98 instead of the New Testament. But, a careful study of Psalm 98 reveals that many of its verses were fulfilled in relation to the coming of the Savior. The music was supposedly based on Handel’s work.
MONDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.” He removes our fear by sending a message of joy.
Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
The word translated as “afraid” is from the Greek word where we got our English word Phobia. It also refers to whatever it is that causes alarm. It can be disturbing news, event, anxiety, uncertainty and the like. The angel said: DO NOT BE AFRAID. Summing up his message, he says the reason is that the Savior has been born, He is Christ the Lord. This is the message of joy.
Fear is not compatible with the presence of the Lord. The shepherds have not yet seen the Lord. They have only heard about His birth. But, that announcement, even before they went to see the Lord, was enough to bring joy, the kind that removes fear. Do you have Jesus Christ as Lord? Don’t be afraid. Talk to Him. Tell Him about whatever it is that is bothering you. He knows what to do and He will do something about it. Do not be afraid. He will, most likely, send you a message of joy.
TUESDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.” He removes our fear by sending a messenger of joy.
Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
More likely, this angel was Gabriel, a prince among angels (archangel) who would usually deliver directly to a human recipient or recipients God message. Gabriel was not an ordinary messenger. In Luke 1, Gabriel told Zechariah that he came from God and that he was standing in the presence of God- a description of his highly favored and very powerful position even among angels.
Gabriel was the messenger of joy to the shepherds; the downtrodden and oppressed sector of society during those days. Even when days are dark with fear and the nights are frightening with its strange sounds and silence, God is awake and alert. He knows when to send His messenger of joy to you. Tell God about your concerns, even your uncertainties. He understands and most likely, He will send a messenger of joy to you.
WEDNESDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.” He removes our fear by sending a message which has personal significance.
Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Good News is not just the content. In fact, the content is nothing to the one who is not going to be benefited by it. Good News is an announcement that has personal significance and personal benefit to the one who is listening to or receiving the news. The angel told the shepherds that while the good news is also for the people, the core issue of this good news – the birth of the Savior- is that the Savior has been born FOR THEM (born for you a Savior).
Of course, God helps the world (common grace) but He has a special concern for His people. The shepherds understood that God wanted them to know that the message about the Savior was a message for them and that they should feel significant because of it. Later, this is how they thought of what had happened to them: Luke 2:15 And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that 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." Personal message for you this Christmas from God? Why not?
THURSDAY: “AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING,
AND HEAVEN, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING.” The Night Of All Nights.
Luke 2: 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
There is a question as to whether the angels sang or just declared God’s praises. We note first of all that their words were not directed at men (unlike the message of the angel) but for the hearing of men. The angels were praising God but they came down to let the shepherds hear the praises. Whether they sang or not we cannot know for sure, but certainly, many praises are expressed through singing.
It was one night that heaven had to speak and earth had to speak. Heaven and nature sing because the Savior has been born. The plan of God for His people was unfolding that night and the shepherds were there to hear it. Here is the point. God does have a plan and you are among those intended to benefit from it. Glory to God in the highest!
FRIDAY: “HE COMES TO MAKE HIS BLESSING FLOW.” No Christ, No Blessing. That Is A Spiritual Truth We All Must Remember.
Gal 3:14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Savior has been born. Is that significant? Yes because the blessings cannot come to us from God’s storehouse unless they come through the Lord Jesus Christ and only upon His sacrificial death. The Lord has come and He has done what is required for the blessings to come to us. The blessings will not just come. The blessings will FLOW.
Is this a new truth? Not really: From the book of Genesis (chapter 3) we already read that the serpent (Satan) would fall in defeat and be trampled underfoot by the promised Savior. Abraham himself (in the Old Testament) “saw” the Savior and was glad. Both in the Old and in the New Testament, the blessings have always been released through Christ. You have Jesus Christ in your heart. What does that say to you? Don’t be scared of the threats your problems are presenting. You have the Lord Jesus Christ and God will make His blessings flow…. to you.
SATURDAY: “HE COMES TO MAKE HIS BLESSING FLOW FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND, FAR AS, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND.”
Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us — for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" — 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Curse? What curse? The Bible records many kinds or curses but in Galatians the curse is specifically identified as the curse in relation to the works of the law. What are the works of the law? The other word for this is obedience but more specifically, obedience to the law to gain salvation or to be right with God. The curse is that if anyone is unable to do the works of the law completely (obey fully), he is under a curse! The curse is related with the punishment meted out to the offender for every act of disobedience. We can obey nine laws and fail in one still be guilty. That is the core issue in a curse. Now, Paul explains what happens: Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them." 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, " The righteous man shall live by faith. "
Joy to the world, there are no more curses for us. The Lord Jesus Christ obeyed the law completely for us so His record of obedience becomes OURS! Theologians have given this wonderful teaching a fancy name: IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. What it means is that the righteousness of the Lord Jesus is ours by reason of divine election and justification. There is no more curse! That should make us sing JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.
SUNDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD! THE LORD IS COME; LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING; LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM,…”
Rom 10: 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."
Let every heart prepare Him room. To a modern user of the English language, the statement seems weak and actually, irreverent because it seems to imply that the heart cannot be surrendered fully. Only a room is to be reserved for the Lord. But, we are reminded that this statement does not imply that at all. The point of the statement is that having the Lord is a serious, deliberate and intelligent decision on the part of man. When we say today: I love you from the bottom of my heart- it does not imply that the upper chamber is for someone else. The hymn reminds us of the seriousness of the decision to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Romans 10 tells us of the importance of CONFESSING WITH OUR MOUTH THAT Jesus is Lord. This confession can only come from a conviction in our heart that such is the fact. It’s like saying: I know that Jesus Christ is Lord and He is my Lord and Savior. Paul says, we will not be disappointed. Jesus Christ is the one who erases OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS and prevents us from being swallowed these. Joy to the world, the LORD IS COME.
Thoughts For the Day
December 7 to 13, 2009
Except when otherwise indicated “Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME
Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns; Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders of His love.
Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was a nonconformist minister in England. This simply means that he was not a member of the Church Of England, the official church of the Empire. He is remembered as the Father of English Hymnody and he must have written more than 600 hymns. Some of his famous hymns are still with us today and still enjoyed by many: “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross; O God Our Help In Ages Past; Jesus Shall Reign.” His very famous contribution to the Christmas carols is the song JOY TO THE WORLD. We are told that the song was written not as a Christmas song but a Second Coming song but we enjoy it today as a Christmas song. It is also based on Psalm 98 instead of the New Testament. But, a careful study of Psalm 98 reveals that many of its verses were fulfilled in relation to the coming of the Savior. The music was supposedly based on Handel’s work.
MONDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.” He removes our fear by sending a message of joy.
Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
The word translated as “afraid” is from the Greek word where we got our English word Phobia. It also refers to whatever it is that causes alarm. It can be disturbing news, event, anxiety, uncertainty and the like. The angel said: DO NOT BE AFRAID. Summing up his message, he says the reason is that the Savior has been born, He is Christ the Lord. This is the message of joy.
Fear is not compatible with the presence of the Lord. The shepherds have not yet seen the Lord. They have only heard about His birth. But, that announcement, even before they went to see the Lord, was enough to bring joy, the kind that removes fear. Do you have Jesus Christ as Lord? Don’t be afraid. Talk to Him. Tell Him about whatever it is that is bothering you. He knows what to do and He will do something about it. Do not be afraid. He will, most likely, send you a message of joy.
TUESDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.” He removes our fear by sending a messenger of joy.
Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
More likely, this angel was Gabriel, a prince among angels (archangel) who would usually deliver directly to a human recipient or recipients God message. Gabriel was not an ordinary messenger. In Luke 1, Gabriel told Zechariah that he came from God and that he was standing in the presence of God- a description of his highly favored and very powerful position even among angels.
Gabriel was the messenger of joy to the shepherds; the downtrodden and oppressed sector of society during those days. Even when days are dark with fear and the nights are frightening with its strange sounds and silence, God is awake and alert. He knows when to send His messenger of joy to you. Tell God about your concerns, even your uncertainties. He understands and most likely, He will send a messenger of joy to you.
WEDNESDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.” He removes our fear by sending a message which has personal significance.
Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Good News is not just the content. In fact, the content is nothing to the one who is not going to be benefited by it. Good News is an announcement that has personal significance and personal benefit to the one who is listening to or receiving the news. The angel told the shepherds that while the good news is also for the people, the core issue of this good news – the birth of the Savior- is that the Savior has been born FOR THEM (born for you a Savior).
Of course, God helps the world (common grace) but He has a special concern for His people. The shepherds understood that God wanted them to know that the message about the Savior was a message for them and that they should feel significant because of it. Later, this is how they thought of what had happened to them: Luke 2:15 And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that 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." Personal message for you this Christmas from God? Why not?
THURSDAY: “AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING,
AND HEAVEN, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING.” The Night Of All Nights.
Luke 2: 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
There is a question as to whether the angels sang or just declared God’s praises. We note first of all that their words were not directed at men (unlike the message of the angel) but for the hearing of men. The angels were praising God but they came down to let the shepherds hear the praises. Whether they sang or not we cannot know for sure, but certainly, many praises are expressed through singing.
It was one night that heaven had to speak and earth had to speak. Heaven and nature sing because the Savior has been born. The plan of God for His people was unfolding that night and the shepherds were there to hear it. Here is the point. God does have a plan and you are among those intended to benefit from it. Glory to God in the highest!
FRIDAY: “HE COMES TO MAKE HIS BLESSING FLOW.” No Christ, No Blessing. That Is A Spiritual Truth We All Must Remember.
Gal 3:14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Savior has been born. Is that significant? Yes because the blessings cannot come to us from God’s storehouse unless they come through the Lord Jesus Christ and only upon His sacrificial death. The Lord has come and He has done what is required for the blessings to come to us. The blessings will not just come. The blessings will FLOW.
Is this a new truth? Not really: From the book of Genesis (chapter 3) we already read that the serpent (Satan) would fall in defeat and be trampled underfoot by the promised Savior. Abraham himself (in the Old Testament) “saw” the Savior and was glad. Both in the Old and in the New Testament, the blessings have always been released through Christ. You have Jesus Christ in your heart. What does that say to you? Don’t be scared of the threats your problems are presenting. You have the Lord Jesus Christ and God will make His blessings flow…. to you.
SATURDAY: “HE COMES TO MAKE HIS BLESSING FLOW FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND, FAR AS, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND.”
Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us — for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" — 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Curse? What curse? The Bible records many kinds or curses but in Galatians the curse is specifically identified as the curse in relation to the works of the law. What are the works of the law? The other word for this is obedience but more specifically, obedience to the law to gain salvation or to be right with God. The curse is that if anyone is unable to do the works of the law completely (obey fully), he is under a curse! The curse is related with the punishment meted out to the offender for every act of disobedience. We can obey nine laws and fail in one still be guilty. That is the core issue in a curse. Now, Paul explains what happens: Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them." 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, " The righteous man shall live by faith. "
Joy to the world, there are no more curses for us. The Lord Jesus Christ obeyed the law completely for us so His record of obedience becomes OURS! Theologians have given this wonderful teaching a fancy name: IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. What it means is that the righteousness of the Lord Jesus is ours by reason of divine election and justification. There is no more curse! That should make us sing JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME.
SUNDAY: “JOY TO THE WORLD! THE LORD IS COME; LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING; LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM,…”
Rom 10: 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."
Let every heart prepare Him room. To a modern user of the English language, the statement seems weak and actually, irreverent because it seems to imply that the heart cannot be surrendered fully. Only a room is to be reserved for the Lord. But, we are reminded that this statement does not imply that at all. The point of the statement is that having the Lord is a serious, deliberate and intelligent decision on the part of man. When we say today: I love you from the bottom of my heart- it does not imply that the upper chamber is for someone else. The hymn reminds us of the seriousness of the decision to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Romans 10 tells us of the importance of CONFESSING WITH OUR MOUTH THAT Jesus is Lord. This confession can only come from a conviction in our heart that such is the fact. It’s like saying: I know that Jesus Christ is Lord and He is my Lord and Savior. Paul says, we will not be disappointed. Jesus Christ is the one who erases OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS and prevents us from being swallowed these. Joy to the world, the LORD IS COME.
SON OF A GOD, HIGHEST PRIEST, WORTHY OF REVERENCE?
SON OF A GOD, HIGHEST PRIEST, WORTHY OF REVERENCE?
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Luke 2:1 Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
CAESAR AUGUSTUS.
The titles above were used in reference to the man who introduced PAX ROMANA – Roman Peace- to the world during his time. Pax Romana was a strange concept for a world that had thought of war as a way of life. The Romans thought of peace not so much as the absence of war but of the absence of able enemies. Peace, to the Romans, was achieved by defeating every possible opponent to the point that waging a war against the Romans becomes impossible.
Caesar Augustus is considered as the greatest of all the Roman Emperors. He achieved PAX ROMANA by using the old method of defeating his opponents but he added something that was not known to many during those times: He established a coalition (they may not have used the word but the concept is the same) of powerful and able warlords/rulers with him as the absolute sovereign. He was not PRIMUS INTER PARES (first among equals) for no one was his equal. He was the ruler with the highest and final authority. Pax Romana was important to the life of the early church.
Jesus the Christ was born when the world’s most powerful man ruled the world’s most powerful empire. His name? Gaius Octavius but most popularly known as Caesar Augustus. Who was he and how did he become the most powerful man of his time and a man whose rule was greatly significant in relation to the birth of the Savior?
Julius Caesar was the general who made the Roman Empire the great Empire that it once was. However, it was Caesar Augustus who made the Roman Empire the greatest and the most powerful of all. The two were relatives and their lives were intertwined to such a degree that one cannot speak of the other without talking about the other one.
Julius Caesar had a sister named Julia who became the mother of Atia, who, in turn, gave birth to her son named GAIUS OCTAVIUS. Gaius’ father died when he was very young and it was Julius Caesar, his Grand Uncle who provided him with fatherly attention and protection. Under Caesar’s guidance and influence, Gaius studied and started rising in power. At the age of 16, he became a member of the very important Board of Priests. Later, he would become the Highest Priest, the chief of the religious life of the Empire. He was soon sent to what is now Albania where he did his Academic and military studies.
When Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, most people probably thought of General Marc Anthony, Julius Caesar’s closest ally among the Roman Generals, as the next ruler. However, when Caesar’s will was opened, it became known that Caesar had designated Gaius, his grandnephew as his heir. Only 18 years old, Octavius went back to Rome and learned that Julius Caesar had declared him as his son and had appointed him as principal heir. Hearing of this, Brutus and Cassius, the killers of Julius withdrew from Rome and Octavius soon won the loyalty of many of the troops.
His prestige grew that in 42 BC, he was acknowledged as the divi filius or son of a god`, Julius Caesar being already considered a god. This title was apparently important for him because when his power grew, more and more, he would identify himself as “CAESAR, SON OF A GOD”.
Octavius had many enemies for control of the great Roman Empire. His greatest challenger was Marcus Antonius (Mark Anthony), who was Julius Caesar’s chief lieutenant. By sheer cunning and excellent political as well as military strategy, Octavius defeated all his enemies. The last major conflict was with the combined forces of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra of Egypt. By 31 BC, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra had lost and in 30 BC, both Cleopatra and Mark Anthony ended their lives after Caesar Augustus captured Egypt.
When Caesar Augustus, the son of a god, was finally in complete control of the empire, he ordered a number of censuses to be taken. In one of those censuses- where he required everyone to return to the village of his ancestors, Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem where Jesus was born, fulfilling with precision the prophecy made about the Christ. Without realizing it, Caesar Augustus became God’s instrument in the fulfillment of this prophecy. Let’s make a comparison of the titles of the two kings, one earthly and another heavenly but both having to do with the lives of people on earth.
Caesar Augustus Jesus the Christ
Son of a god Son of God
Pontifex Maximus The High Priest. Heb 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Worthy of reverence (Augustus) Holy One. John 6:69 "And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."
Emperor King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Rev 17:14
"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."
Wants to know who his people really are thus the Census Already knows his people quite well even before they come to know Him. John 10:14-16 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 "And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.
Gave his people PAX ROMANA- Roman peace Gives His people heavenly peace or the peace that the world cannot give. John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
Died in 14 AD Died in 33 AD
Remained dead Resurrected and went back to heaven
There are several important lessons we can learn from this article. The most important one is from and in this story we see that GOD IS FIRMLY IN CONTROL even when men seem to be control. Even when people rise to prominence in this world, they may be doing something to fulfill God’s plans even if they themselves do not know anything about it. God is still in control.
Mary became pregnant at that the time the Census was being taken and Joseph had to take Mary to Bethlehem for the Census – not for the birth of the Lord- but it was there that Jesus was born. This was a fulfillment of the prophecy. God is in control.
Caesar Augustus had a favorite vassal king in Palestine by the name of Herod the Great. Herod was so disturbed about the coming of the Magi who told him about a King of the Jews and he ordered the baby to be located and failing in that task, he ordered babies to be slaughtered. This series of events prompted Joseph to bring his family to Egypt, to come back later after Herod had died. This was also a fulfillment of the prophecy. Matt 2:14 And he arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, "Out of Egypt did I call My Son." God is in control.
Another important lesson in this story is how God uses both believers and unbelievers and how God arranges events to generate the fulfillment of His plans for His people. Gaius Octavius grew up as a frail and seemingly weak man. He was not very promising. But he turned out to be the greatest of all the Roman Rulers and it was that position of power that allowed him to order a global census. The census became the direct instrument for the fulfillment of the prophecy about where the Messiah was to be born. God is in control and He will see to it that His plan for His people is fulfilled to the full.
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Luke 2:1 Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
CAESAR AUGUSTUS.
The titles above were used in reference to the man who introduced PAX ROMANA – Roman Peace- to the world during his time. Pax Romana was a strange concept for a world that had thought of war as a way of life. The Romans thought of peace not so much as the absence of war but of the absence of able enemies. Peace, to the Romans, was achieved by defeating every possible opponent to the point that waging a war against the Romans becomes impossible.
Caesar Augustus is considered as the greatest of all the Roman Emperors. He achieved PAX ROMANA by using the old method of defeating his opponents but he added something that was not known to many during those times: He established a coalition (they may not have used the word but the concept is the same) of powerful and able warlords/rulers with him as the absolute sovereign. He was not PRIMUS INTER PARES (first among equals) for no one was his equal. He was the ruler with the highest and final authority. Pax Romana was important to the life of the early church.
Jesus the Christ was born when the world’s most powerful man ruled the world’s most powerful empire. His name? Gaius Octavius but most popularly known as Caesar Augustus. Who was he and how did he become the most powerful man of his time and a man whose rule was greatly significant in relation to the birth of the Savior?
Julius Caesar was the general who made the Roman Empire the great Empire that it once was. However, it was Caesar Augustus who made the Roman Empire the greatest and the most powerful of all. The two were relatives and their lives were intertwined to such a degree that one cannot speak of the other without talking about the other one.
Julius Caesar had a sister named Julia who became the mother of Atia, who, in turn, gave birth to her son named GAIUS OCTAVIUS. Gaius’ father died when he was very young and it was Julius Caesar, his Grand Uncle who provided him with fatherly attention and protection. Under Caesar’s guidance and influence, Gaius studied and started rising in power. At the age of 16, he became a member of the very important Board of Priests. Later, he would become the Highest Priest, the chief of the religious life of the Empire. He was soon sent to what is now Albania where he did his Academic and military studies.
When Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, most people probably thought of General Marc Anthony, Julius Caesar’s closest ally among the Roman Generals, as the next ruler. However, when Caesar’s will was opened, it became known that Caesar had designated Gaius, his grandnephew as his heir. Only 18 years old, Octavius went back to Rome and learned that Julius Caesar had declared him as his son and had appointed him as principal heir. Hearing of this, Brutus and Cassius, the killers of Julius withdrew from Rome and Octavius soon won the loyalty of many of the troops.
His prestige grew that in 42 BC, he was acknowledged as the divi filius or son of a god`, Julius Caesar being already considered a god. This title was apparently important for him because when his power grew, more and more, he would identify himself as “CAESAR, SON OF A GOD”.
Octavius had many enemies for control of the great Roman Empire. His greatest challenger was Marcus Antonius (Mark Anthony), who was Julius Caesar’s chief lieutenant. By sheer cunning and excellent political as well as military strategy, Octavius defeated all his enemies. The last major conflict was with the combined forces of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra of Egypt. By 31 BC, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra had lost and in 30 BC, both Cleopatra and Mark Anthony ended their lives after Caesar Augustus captured Egypt.
When Caesar Augustus, the son of a god, was finally in complete control of the empire, he ordered a number of censuses to be taken. In one of those censuses- where he required everyone to return to the village of his ancestors, Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem where Jesus was born, fulfilling with precision the prophecy made about the Christ. Without realizing it, Caesar Augustus became God’s instrument in the fulfillment of this prophecy. Let’s make a comparison of the titles of the two kings, one earthly and another heavenly but both having to do with the lives of people on earth.
Caesar Augustus Jesus the Christ
Son of a god Son of God
Pontifex Maximus The High Priest. Heb 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Worthy of reverence (Augustus) Holy One. John 6:69 "And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."
Emperor King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Rev 17:14
"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."
Wants to know who his people really are thus the Census Already knows his people quite well even before they come to know Him. John 10:14-16 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 "And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.
Gave his people PAX ROMANA- Roman peace Gives His people heavenly peace or the peace that the world cannot give. John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
Died in 14 AD Died in 33 AD
Remained dead Resurrected and went back to heaven
There are several important lessons we can learn from this article. The most important one is from and in this story we see that GOD IS FIRMLY IN CONTROL even when men seem to be control. Even when people rise to prominence in this world, they may be doing something to fulfill God’s plans even if they themselves do not know anything about it. God is still in control.
Mary became pregnant at that the time the Census was being taken and Joseph had to take Mary to Bethlehem for the Census – not for the birth of the Lord- but it was there that Jesus was born. This was a fulfillment of the prophecy. God is in control.
Caesar Augustus had a favorite vassal king in Palestine by the name of Herod the Great. Herod was so disturbed about the coming of the Magi who told him about a King of the Jews and he ordered the baby to be located and failing in that task, he ordered babies to be slaughtered. This series of events prompted Joseph to bring his family to Egypt, to come back later after Herod had died. This was also a fulfillment of the prophecy. Matt 2:14 And he arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, "Out of Egypt did I call My Son." God is in control.
Another important lesson in this story is how God uses both believers and unbelievers and how God arranges events to generate the fulfillment of His plans for His people. Gaius Octavius grew up as a frail and seemingly weak man. He was not very promising. But he turned out to be the greatest of all the Roman Rulers and it was that position of power that allowed him to order a global census. The census became the direct instrument for the fulfillment of the prophecy about where the Messiah was to be born. God is in control and He will see to it that His plan for His people is fulfilled to the full.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
LOVELINESS WITH LONELINESS IS LIFELESSNESS
LOVELINESS WITH LONELINESS IS LIFELESSNESS
A WOMAN NEEDS MORE THAN BEAUTY TO BE TRULY HAPPY
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
John 4:1-42
4:1 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3 He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." 11 She said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? 12 "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" 13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. " 15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw." 16 He said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." 17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly. " 19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father. 22 "You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." 26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." 27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He had been speaking with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?" 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city, and said to the men, 29 "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?" 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. 31 In the meanwhile the disciples were requesting Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 The disciples therefore were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work. 35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 "Already he who reaps is receiving wages, and is gathering fruit for life eternal; that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 "For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows, and another reaps.' 38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
39 And from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." 40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." NASB
Introduction:
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT: THE SAMARITAN WOMAN WAS ATTRACTIVE
SHE HAS HAD 5 HUSBANDS. The language indicates that she got divorced by all of them since the right to divorce was the right of a man and not of a woman. John 4:17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly. " 19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 "
We don’t know why she was divorced by the men. But one thing we know is that the men found something in her that they did not like. Even poor cooking was a reason for a divorce.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT: The Samaritan woman was lovely but lonely
Every divorce proceeding brings some kind of a public disgrace upon a woman especially after five divorces and in a community where everyone knows what is happening in the lives of others in their community. You remember why Joseph wanted to divorce Mary in a private manner when he discovered that she was pregnant? Matthew explains that it was not Joseph’s intention to disgrace her. In the case of the Samaritan woman, men wanted her but men left her with her self-esteem lower than before.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT: The Samaritan woman was desperate for fulfillment
Abandoned by 5 men, she decided that the sixth one would not be her husband but a temporary cure for loneliness. The Lord said that the man she was living with at that time was not her husband.
Maybe this is people how people have treated you. When you were useful, you were their friend. When you suffered losses, you lost your friends. People do this to us, they make us feel wonderful and then they make us wondering what really happened.
Let’s face the issue:
Maybe in many ways, you are like the Samaritan woman. People liked you then but they have abandoned you now. Your happiness was replaced by loneliness and your loneliness was replaced by emptiness. There really is no certainty for the future.
THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA WAS DESTROYED BY 3 SPECIFIC WEAKNESSES IN HER LIFE
Like the woman of Samaria, your life can also be destroyed by your own weakness. We don’t have to. We ask this question then:
WHAT 3 WEAKNESSES WERE PRESENT IN THE LIFE OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AND HOW WAS SHE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THESE?
I- SHE ALLOWED OTHERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER
John 4:18. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
One man took advantage of her; then another one, then another one, then another one, then another one and finally this one with no commitment at all as indicated by the fact he was not married to her.
II- SHE ALLOWED HERSELF TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN AND AGAIN
John 4:18. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.“
Every divorce is a painful event for a woman. The certificate of divorce was also a social certificate that something was wrong with her. She has had 5 certificates of divorce.
III- SHE WAS NEVER IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS BEFORE
John 4:10. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
She was never in the presence of Jesus and she does not even know Him; “If you knew who it is that asks you for a drink…”
Let’s Summarize: She was destroyed by 3 weaknesses:
I- SHE ALLOWED OTHERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER
II- SHE ALLOWED HERSELF TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN AND AGAIN
III- SHE WAS NEVER IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS BEFORE
You know how she got out of these weaknesses?
She was in the presence of the Lord
She was reminded about the problem of her life.
She was instructed about the prescription for her doctrinal error which led to the change in her life. (God is a Spirit…)
She clearly received the “water of eternal life” because she became a powerful witness for the Lord
TRY TO UNDERSTAND HER UNUSUAL BLESSEDNESS
Very few people actually became believers through a personal (one on one) and prolonged witnessing by the Lord. On record, the Samaritan woman was one of those very privileged few.
Broken and burdened, she got blessed.
HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO THIS?
In the presence of Jesus, you will find the answer and meaning to life.
In the presence of Jesus, the burden becomes a blessing.
In the presence of Jesus, the loveliness is given a new and a true meaning. Lovely because loved by God. Important because accepted by God.
NOTE THIS:
THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING IS IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
OBEDIENCE AND A PRAYERFUL LIFE WILL BRING TO THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
IN HIS PRESENCE THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE
A WOMAN NEEDS MORE THAN BEAUTY TO BE TRULY HAPPY
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
John 4:1-42
4:1 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3 He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." 11 She said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? 12 "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" 13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. " 15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw." 16 He said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." 17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly. " 19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father. 22 "You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." 25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." 26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." 27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He had been speaking with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?" 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city, and said to the men, 29 "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?" 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. 31 In the meanwhile the disciples were requesting Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 The disciples therefore were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work. 35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 "Already he who reaps is receiving wages, and is gathering fruit for life eternal; that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 "For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows, and another reaps.' 38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
39 And from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." 40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." NASB
Introduction:
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT: THE SAMARITAN WOMAN WAS ATTRACTIVE
SHE HAS HAD 5 HUSBANDS. The language indicates that she got divorced by all of them since the right to divorce was the right of a man and not of a woman. John 4:17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly. " 19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 "
We don’t know why she was divorced by the men. But one thing we know is that the men found something in her that they did not like. Even poor cooking was a reason for a divorce.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT: The Samaritan woman was lovely but lonely
Every divorce proceeding brings some kind of a public disgrace upon a woman especially after five divorces and in a community where everyone knows what is happening in the lives of others in their community. You remember why Joseph wanted to divorce Mary in a private manner when he discovered that she was pregnant? Matthew explains that it was not Joseph’s intention to disgrace her. In the case of the Samaritan woman, men wanted her but men left her with her self-esteem lower than before.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT: The Samaritan woman was desperate for fulfillment
Abandoned by 5 men, she decided that the sixth one would not be her husband but a temporary cure for loneliness. The Lord said that the man she was living with at that time was not her husband.
Maybe this is people how people have treated you. When you were useful, you were their friend. When you suffered losses, you lost your friends. People do this to us, they make us feel wonderful and then they make us wondering what really happened.
Let’s face the issue:
Maybe in many ways, you are like the Samaritan woman. People liked you then but they have abandoned you now. Your happiness was replaced by loneliness and your loneliness was replaced by emptiness. There really is no certainty for the future.
THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA WAS DESTROYED BY 3 SPECIFIC WEAKNESSES IN HER LIFE
Like the woman of Samaria, your life can also be destroyed by your own weakness. We don’t have to. We ask this question then:
WHAT 3 WEAKNESSES WERE PRESENT IN THE LIFE OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AND HOW WAS SHE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THESE?
I- SHE ALLOWED OTHERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER
John 4:18. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
One man took advantage of her; then another one, then another one, then another one, then another one and finally this one with no commitment at all as indicated by the fact he was not married to her.
II- SHE ALLOWED HERSELF TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN AND AGAIN
John 4:18. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.“
Every divorce is a painful event for a woman. The certificate of divorce was also a social certificate that something was wrong with her. She has had 5 certificates of divorce.
III- SHE WAS NEVER IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS BEFORE
John 4:10. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
She was never in the presence of Jesus and she does not even know Him; “If you knew who it is that asks you for a drink…”
Let’s Summarize: She was destroyed by 3 weaknesses:
I- SHE ALLOWED OTHERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER
II- SHE ALLOWED HERSELF TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN AND AGAIN
III- SHE WAS NEVER IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS BEFORE
You know how she got out of these weaknesses?
She was in the presence of the Lord
She was reminded about the problem of her life.
She was instructed about the prescription for her doctrinal error which led to the change in her life. (God is a Spirit…)
She clearly received the “water of eternal life” because she became a powerful witness for the Lord
TRY TO UNDERSTAND HER UNUSUAL BLESSEDNESS
Very few people actually became believers through a personal (one on one) and prolonged witnessing by the Lord. On record, the Samaritan woman was one of those very privileged few.
Broken and burdened, she got blessed.
HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO THIS?
In the presence of Jesus, you will find the answer and meaning to life.
In the presence of Jesus, the burden becomes a blessing.
In the presence of Jesus, the loveliness is given a new and a true meaning. Lovely because loved by God. Important because accepted by God.
NOTE THIS:
THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING IS IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
OBEDIENCE AND A PRAYERFUL LIFE WILL BRING TO THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
IN HIS PRESENCE THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE
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