Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Shepherd King

 

Ezekiel 34:23

I will appoint over them one Shepherd, My Servant David, and He will feed them. He will feed them and be their Shepherd.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7462

Shepherd: to graze, to pasture, to tend

From the Hebrew word 'ra'ah' (pronounced raw-aw'). 

As Christ is the Good Shepherd, it was only fitting that the first under-shepherds were the ones who came and worshiped first. (Luke 2:8, 15-18).

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS GOOD

John 10:11, 14

11. I am The Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

14. I am The Good Shepherd, and I know My own, and I am known by My own. 

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS SAVIOR

Psalm 28:9

Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them and carry them forever.

John 10:17, 18

Because of this, the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS PERSONAL

John 10:3

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. 

John 10:27

My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS LOVING

Isaiah 40:11

He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.

Revelation 7:17

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

(Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4165 Feed Them: to shepherd, to tend, to herd, to rule, to govern. From the Greek word 'poimainó' (pronounced poy-mah'-ee-no). [occurs 11 times in the NT, usually with a figurative sense of "shepherding (tending) God's flock." This provides Spirit-directed guidance (care) conjunction with feeding His people (teaching them Scripture).]

Psalm 23:2 

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

GOD'S SHEPHERD HAS MANY SHEEP

John 10:16

I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Isaiah 56:8

Thus declares the Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: "I will gather to them still others besides those already gathered."

Ezekiel 34:6

My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. They were scattered over the face of all the earth, with no one to search for them or seek them out.'

Ezekiel 34:12 

As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

Ezekiel 37:24

My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes.

John 11:52

And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

John 1:11-13

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. 

As David wrote in Psalm 23, The LORD is my Shepherd. He feeds me on His Word, He refreshes me in Himself; He leads me, He guards me, He restores me, He protects me, He provides a better home for me. 

Have you made The LORD your Shepherd, too? He calls your name as He travels the hillsides and valleys, looking for you to answer by running to Him, to the sound of His voice. He has no need to shout your name, nor yell out into the vast wilderness. The Shepherd King need only call out your name. And you, like I, can come to His side immediately and be nurtured by Him and in Him.  

Psalm 23 by Don Moen

Yeshua by Paul Wilbur

Jesus Leads Me Beside Still Waters by Gloria Bailey & The New Heavenly Voices

Jesus Said Come To The Waters by The Norlins

 

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Son Reigns Forever

 

Luke 1:32, 33

He will be great and will be called the Son of the most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 936

Reign: to exercise dominion over, to be king and exercise kingly power; to hold rule over 

From the Greek word 'basileuó' (pronounced bas-il-yoo'-o). Reference No. 932: Authority, Sovereignty, kingship and kingdom.

HE WILL BE GREAT

He will have authority over everything created, both nature and people.

Ephesians 1:15-23, spec. 21-23

Nothing is hidden from Him.

Hebrews 4:12-16

THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH

John 1:1

John 3:16

John 10:30

SIT ON THE THRONE OF DAVID

2 Samuel 7:12, 13

Isaiah 9:7

Jeremiah 23:5

HIS KINGDOM WILL NEVER END

Psalm 45:6

Psalm 145:13

Daniel 2:44

2 Peter 1:11

Revelation 11:15

HIS KINGDOM IS HEAVENLY

Isaiah 6:1-5

2 Timothy 4:18

HIS KINGDOM IS THE BELIEVER'S INHERITANCE

Matthew 25:34

BUT NOT THE SINNER'S INHERITANCE

1 Corinthians 6:9

HIS KINGDOM IS NEAR

Matthew 3:2

Matthew 10:7

HIS AUTHORITY

Revelation 1:8

Revelation 11:17

Isaiah 41:4

Deuteronomy 32:39

HIS SOVEREIGNTY

1 Timothy 6:15

There is no god greater. There is no higher power than God's. There is one King and He is the KING OF KINGS (Revelation 19:16) and THE LORD OF LORDS. 

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU by Don Moen 

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS 

ISAIAH 6 by Todd Agnew

THERE IS A KING/O COME LET US ADORE HIM/HALLELUJAH HERE BELOW by Elevation Worship

Have you met my King Jesus? He wants to be your King, too. He desires our hearts to align with His. God chose His Son to be King over not only all of Israel, but all of Abraham's seed, as well. 

Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4:3

Therefore, Abraham's seed, children, are the people who believe God, who take Him at His WORD. And what is this WORD? JESUS CHRIST. KING OF KINGS. LORD OF LORDS. FAITHFUL AND TRUE. SON OF THE MOST HIGH. SON OF GOD. SON OF MAN. SON OF THE LIVING GOD. WONDERFUL. COUNSELOR. PRINCE OF PEACE. ALMIGHTY GOD. EVERLASTING FATHER. FIRSTFRUITS. THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. 

John 11:25, 26

"Jesus said to her, "I am THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; the one believing in Me, even if he should die, he will live. And everyone living and believing in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

And I, like Martha, reply, "Yes, Lord, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Do you believe? Will you let Jesus reign in your hearts today?

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Fear Not

 

Luke 2:30, 31

And the angel said to her, "Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and you will call His name JESUS."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5399

Fear: to put to flight, terrify, frighten; dread, reverence

From the Greek word 'phobeó' (pronounced fob-eh'-o). To be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm. The act of being startled at strange sights or occurrences.

FEAR NOT

It is this same frame of mind the shepherds were in when the angel appeared to them and "the glory of the Lord shone round about them" (Luke 2:10). In the previous verse, we learned that the angel suddenly appeared among them. This angel was not in the night skies to deliver the message from God. I'm sure I may have been just as terrified. My heart would have been racing and my breath would first be taken away and then my legs would have buckled under me. 

But they are both told to "Fear Not". Don't be afraid. Take courage. Strengthen your resolve to stay here. And listen to what God has to say to you. Fear is not from God: Peace is from God. Fear is a spirit that wants to defeat us (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear restrains and prevents a person from being fully obedient to God. But the Peace of God fills God's people with God's Love, God's Power and God's Prudence. See also John 14:27).

In Luke 1:13, the angel tells Zacharias, "Fear not". Daniel knew this fear in Daniel 10:11, for he was 'trembling' (shaking with fear, quaking) while the angel spoke with him. Both are encouraged to know that God has heard their prayers and He is answering them. Moses saw a burning bush and went towards it, but stopped in fear when he heard God's voice speaking from it (Exodus 3:6). He, too, is encouraged by God to stop and listen and hear. 

In Revelation 1:17 John knew this fear: He saw Jesus in all His glory and "fell down as dead" (fainted dead away). "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am The First and The Last."

FAVOR WITH GOD

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5485

Favor: grace, kindness, gratitude; a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ

From the Greek word 'charis' (pronounced khar'-ece). As the concordance states, "is preeminently used of the Lord's favor – freely extended to give Himself away to people (because He is "always leaning toward them").

Mary is not the first person to find "favor with God". In Genesis 6:8 Noah found favor: "Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the LORD." Out of all the people populating the earth in Noah's time, he is the only one who found grace in God's eyes. The result of that being that only Noah and his family boarded the ark before God shut the door (Genesis 7:1, 16). 

To "find favor" with God is to be the man or woman who knows God's heart, God's will, and follows it. David was such a man. Even before he was king. 1 Samuel 13:14 (when the prophet Samuel rebukes King Saul), "But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

THE MESSAGE

The message to Moses was "Go back to Egypt and deliver God's people". The message to Noah was "Build an ark to save you and your family and the animals I have chosen". 

The message to David was shown by Samuel "anointed to be King of Israel". 

The message to Daniel was "a response from God to understand the visions he had been given". 

The message to Zacharias was "you will have a son and he will be great in the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb, make ready a people prepared for the Lord". 

The message to Mary was "you will conceive a Son, and you will call His name JESUS". 

Moses: Go and be the Deliverer of My people.

Noah: Build and Save My people.

David: Rule over My people.

Daniel: Warn My people.

Zacharias: Prepare My people

Mary: Your Child will Save My people.

The Lord has a message for His people today and every day given them thereafter. 

REPENT

Ezekiel 14:6

Matthew 4:17

REPENT & BE BAPTIZED

Acts 2:38

BELIEVE ON HIS NAME

Acts 16:31

1 John 3:3

1 John 5:13

RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

John 20:22

Acts 1:8

Acts 2:1-4

PREACH THE GOSPEL

Mark 16:15

1 Corinthians 9:16

2 Timothy 4:2

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

Matthew 16:24

Mark 8:34

1 Peter 2:21

FOLLOW ME

Matthew 4:19

Mark 1:17

REJOICE

Matthew 5:11,12

Luke 6:22, 23

1 Peter 4:12-14

The joy we are to have as God's people is the same joy experienced by the shepherds after they had seen the baby JESUS. Exultant, exuberant, loud, noisy, REJOICE: to have joy in such abundance that it cannot be contained, but must be expressed in such a way as to draw people to the sound and sight of such excitement. And to hear what caused such Joy to be felt in the first place. Let us express our Joy in the Savior every day that we might fulfill His will for us. 

FEAR NOT MY CHILD by Carman

GRACE OF GOD by Passion

GOD WITH US by MercyMe

EMMANUEL by Hannah Kerr

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Bethlehem

 

Luke 2:4

So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 965

Bethlehem: house of bread

From the Greek word 'Béthleem' (pronounced bayth-leh-em'). In the Old Testament this word Bethlehem was two words:  Beth Lechem (pronounced bayth leh'-khem). "Beth" means "house" and "Lechem" means bread.  Bethlehem: House of Bread

I've been pronouncing it wrong my whole life. 

In The HOUSE OF BREAD The BREAD OF LIFE is Born.

THE HOUSE OF BREAD

Micah 5:2

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel--One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

Matthew 2:6

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a Ruler who will be the Shepherd of My people Israel.'

Luke 2:11

Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!

THE BREAD OF LIFE

John 6:33, 35

33. "For the Bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

35.Jesus said to them, "I am the Bread of Life; the one coming to Me 

never shall hunger, and the one believing in Me never shall thirst at any time."

John 6:47, 48, 50, 51

47. "Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life

48. I am the Bread of Life.

50. This is the Bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.

51. I am the Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever. And this Bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”

To Eat the Bread of Life is to Hear and Believe The Word of God

John 5:24

Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

John 11:25, 26

25. Jesus said to her, “I am The Resurrection and The Life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. 

26. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Still this question lingers in the air. Do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is The Resurrection and The Life? Do you know that you know that you know? Only you can answer that. Don't leave The House of Bread without having tasted The Bread of Life. 

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 11:27

“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Matthew 5:6

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

Psalm 107:9

For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM classic North American Christmas carol

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE by Jaime Thietten

FILL MY CUP, LORD by The Nashville String Machine

FILL MY CUP by Andrew Ripp

PORTION by Isla Vista

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Traveler

 

Matthew 2:20

Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. 4198

Go: I travel, I journey, I go, I die

From the Greek word 'poreuomai' (pronounced por-yoo'-om-ahee). 

Remember the context in which the word is used. Transporting from one location to another. 

Here we see Jesus on the road again. A nomadic birth and childhood He had.

LEAVING HEAVEN

God Sent His Son

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life

Galatians 4:4, 5

4. But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

5. to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.

LEAVING BETHLEHEM

Matthew 2:13-15

13. When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”

14. So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,

15. where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

LEAVING EGYPT

Hosea 11:1

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

Matthew 2:20, 21

20. Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 

21. So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel.

LEAVING BETHLEHEM, AGAIN

Matthew 2:22, 23

22. But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,

23. and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Isaiah 11:1

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5342

Branch: a sprout, a shoot

From the Hebrew word 'netser' (pronounced nay'-tser). Indicating a branch, or city of Nazareth. 

The Lord's travels did not end there either, as some of us know. In Luke 2:41-52 we read of Jesus and His family's journey to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, a journey they took every year. But this year was different. When the feasting ended and the family caravan left, Jesus stayed behind. He was teaching in the temple to the astonishment of everyone who heard Him, including His parents when they found Him. 

Not until He was grown and began His ministry did He travel permanently. Luke 9:58 "And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere He might lay the head." Always on the road, no home of His own, no bed to lie in at night. Not until His ministry ended here did His travels end.

LEAVING THE GRAVE

Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6, 7; John 20:1-18

LEAVING EARTH

Acts 1:9

After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

Now, His travels are done in us. We who serve the King go where He leads. We journey with Him, for He is ever with us. We are never alone, so we walk faithfully, speak boldly but gently, work obediently in His fields and wait patiently for His return. Jesus is coming and He is coming back soon.  For Christ has said, in Mark 16:15 "And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." And also in Matthew 28:19, 20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Yes, every believer in their generations has said this. Days could be years, years could be centuries, millenia. Seconds turn into forevers. We say it all the time: this is taking forever! and we get impatient with the situation we are in. Forever cannot be measured by time. But someday after all is said and done, forever is where we will stay. With Jesus. Our travels will be ended and we will rest in Him. O Glorious Day! 

Make sure you have your passport ready to leave this earth. Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Simple faith. 

LIGHT OF THE WORLD by the African Children's Choir

I FEEL LIKE TRAVELIN' ON by Gloria Baily & Sylvester Morgan

I MUST HAVE THE SAVIOR WITH ME by Gloria Baily

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Gifts For The Gift

 

Matthew 2:11

On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1435

Gifts: present, sacrifice {offered to God}, something not coerced, spontaneous, offering

 From the Greek word 'dóron' (pronounced do'-ron). 

(cf) Matthew 5:42 "leave your offering at the altar"; Luke 21:1-4 "the widow's mite" (sacrificial offering).

THE FIRST GIFT

The first gift given was their time. They used their time in their homeland to research the birthplace of the King they had come to know in their studies of old manuscripts and they watched the night skies for the star that would rise in His honor.

THE SECOND GIFT

The second gift the wise men gave the Christ was their worship. They fell down, kneeled, prostrated themselves before him (face to the ground) and worshiped Him. Not His mother. She was the vessel of honor by which He came into this world, but worship is given to her Son Jesus Christ. Worship is an act of humility, it is humbling ourselves before the King of kings and giving Him our all: our hearts, our lives, our bodies; for His service, for His glory, for His honor. Out of their hearts the wise men gave. Out of their treasuries they gave. So, too, should we be prepared to come into the presence of God with our worship. Before we ever get to church our hearts need to be ready to receive what God has to give. And we need to be ready to give what God desires of us.

THE THIRD GIFT

The third gift they gave was gold. A precious commodity no matter what age you live in. It acknowledged His Kingship and Authority to rule. This gold was an offering, a sacrifice, a parting of their wealth to render unto the King what was due Him. We, too, need to render a monetary offering unto God. We call it tithing and love offerings. Because we love Him, we want to give Him everything, even our monies, which, while God does not need our money, He still requires us to be obedient in giving to Him. 

 

THE FOURTH GIFT 

The fourth gift given was frankincense. A costly fragrance used in the making of incense. The incense God instructed Moses to make included frankincense. It was laid before the the Most Holy Place before the priest could enter.

Exodus 30:34-37

34. The LORD also said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—in equal measures,

35. and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.

36. Grind some of it into fine powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.

37. You are never to use this formula to make incense for yourselves; you shall regard it as holy to the LORD.

THE FIFTH GIFT

The fifth gift they gave Him was myrrh. This was common spice used to anoint the dead, that their bodies would not stink while decaying. 

(cf) Mark 16:1 "When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus." 

Also, myrrh was a fragrant perfume used to anoint the king's wife (Esther 2:12), or the king himself (Song of Solomon 3:6). A precious oil reserved for precious beloved people. 

All the gifts given to Jesus not only acknowledged who He is, but foretold what would happen in His life. 

Time: He only had a short amount of time to make the biggest impact during His three year ministry. John 12:35 "Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going."

Worship: John 4:23, 24 Worship God: "But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

Gold: In heaven pure, unadulterated gold is used for  pavement and building material in the new city which God has prepared for His people. Revelation 21:18, 21. 

Gold is also the crown which Christ wears: Revelation 14:14 "And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand."

Frankincense: A bitter, pungent fragrance used primarily for incense. 

It was placed on the table of gold near the showbread in the temple of the Lord (Leviticus 24:7) as a memorial portion, an offering to the Lord. 

Myrrh: Used as an ointment (to heal wounds), a burial spice and a burnt offering (releasing a sweet odor/aroma). John 19:39 "Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds." In their love for Him, Joseph and Nicodemus received permission to remove His body from the cross to bury Him properly. Even though they believed He would rise again, the nearness of that rising was hid from them. Therefore, Jesus needed to be buried in a clean place and anointed with fragrances that would keep Him pure for awhile. 

In today's market value that much myrrh is estimated to cost $150k. Whoof. Pricey. And yet worth every penny. Yet these gifts do not even compare with the Gift which God has given to mankind.

THE BEST GIFT

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 6:40

"For it is My Father's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Romans 5:8

But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:8-10

8. But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

9. that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

THE GIFT OF GRACE

Now is the time to receive God's gift. Now is the time to open your heart and believe. Now is now, later may be too late. 

Many say we are living in the last days. So, too, did the disciples of Christ in their day in the beginning of the age of the church. Do not delay your day of salvation according to your timetable. Until Christ returns, every day is the last day. Only God knows the hour in which He will send His Son to gather up His bride, the church (Matthew 24:36; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). 

This is not manana time. There is no tomorrow to plan for. Today is your day of salvation. Today is the day you should open God's gift of salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the Messiah. 
We beg you to reconsider your decision and not walk away. We implore you to come to the altar now. To humble yourselves  and kneel before God in repentance, to receive His forgiveness and grace. 

Ephesians 2:6-9

6. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

7. in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9. not by works, so that no one can boast.

COME WORSHIP THE KING by Michael W. Smith, Shane & Shane

REFINER'S FIRE (Purify My Heart) by Vineyard Wordship

I GIVE YOU MY HEART by Hillsong 

 

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Exceeding Great Joy

 

Matthew 2:10

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4970

Exceeding: very much, greatly, go all-out, extreme, deeply

From the Greek word 'sphrodra' (pronounced sfod'-rah). 

Also used to describe great fear, as in Matthew 17:6.

Used to describe a level of emotion being felt or the quantity of wealth or lack thereof.

(cf) Matthew 26:22; Matthew 27:54; Luke 18:23; Acts 6:7; Revelation 16:21. 

Upon seeing the star the wise men 'rejoiced' with 'exceeding great joy'. Not a calm delight, nor mere inner peace, but over-the-top joy. Pure joy because they knew they were getting close to where the new King was. Pure joy for they knew they would soon and very soon see His face. 

Pure joy because they could not contain such ecstatic joy within themselves. 

I don't know about you but when I experience uncontainable joy, I sing. Can you imagine the ruckus they made after leaving Jerusalem to travel northwards to Bethlehem? Three grown men, traveling on desert animals themselves and with pack animals loaded with their gear: clothes, bedding, foods, shelter. Having traveled from the land east of Jerusalem for two years they would have needed a goodly supply to get them through. Even if they stayed at the local inns occasionally. 

Now picture all of that and them singing, too. Rejoicing with exceeding great joy. Being wise men, they were learned men. They knew the arts, including music. Songs of praise never sung before would have welled up within their hearts and poured out from them. One could imagine a bass, a baritone and a tenor; at least I can. 

Having pored over the prophecies and written books of what we call the Old Testament, the Word being in them to lead them and guide them through said prophecies may have put the words of great joy into their mouths, as well. Do you not know that when we who write songs under the guidance of the Holy Spirit have already dug deep into the Scriptures, too? (And I'm still digging). 

David knew such joy. He wrote hundreds of songs about God in The Book of Psalms. Such as Psalms 148:1 "Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places." Isaiah wrote, "Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel." 

Zephaniah 3:17 even tells us that God will sing over His people with joy, when He restores them, "The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”

How can we not shout to the Lord with a voice of triumph, as in Psalm 98:4, "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." A joyful Noise, a Loud noise: shouting high praise to God. As the angels sang to the shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

JOY TO THE WORLD by Chris Tomlin

THERE IS A KING MEDLEY by Elevation Church

HE IS EXALTED MEDLEY 

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Light Still Shines

 

Matthew 2:2

"Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 792

Star: a star, a group of stars, stars strewn across the sky

From the Greek word 'astér' (pronounced as-tare'). In connection with the Greek word 'strónnuó' (pronounced strone'-noo-mee), wherein we get our English word 'astronomy'. 

HIS STAR, HIS PURPOSE

This start had one purpose: to light the way for those seeking the newborn baby King to worship Him. First, the shepherds who were nearby. Then, the wise men from the east, who traveled two years to reach Him. When the star had fulfilled its reason for being, it was seen no more. 

No matter how long it takes us to reach Jesus, as long as our intent is pure, our goal will be reached. And when our purpose in Christ has been fulfilled, we too, will be taken up and seen no more on this earth. Woe, to those whose names are called that are not ready. For no one will ever be 'good enough' to see God's face and live. Only they who are pure in heart. And the only way we can be pure in heart is to have Jesus Christ living in our hearts. 

THE LIGHT STILL SHINES

That light shined in the night sky to lead the way. It stood out from all the other twinkling stars, so it must have been visible to the naked eye. For both the shepherds and the wise men could see it without aid. 

But we know that while that light shone briefly, there is another Light which shines permanently. During His earthly ministry Jesus told His disciples, in John 8:12, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." 

And again in John 9:5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Knowing He would be taken out of the world, He also let them know that they would be the light, too, 12:36 "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light." After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them." 

THE PURE LIGHT

Proverbs 4:18

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

Philippians 2:14, 15

14. Do everything without complaining or arguing,

15. so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Everywhere and in all things we are instructed to be honorable men and women of God: in our everyday life, where people around us see our actions and hear our the words that come out of our mouths and in the privacy of our own thoughts, where only God knows what we are thinking and the true intents of our hearts. 

Let us be the Lighthouse that shines the Light and Love of God through Jesus Christ into the darkness of this world in which we live, that wandering souls may see Jesus and be saved from wreck and ruin.

JESUS IS THE LIGHT by Carman

LIGHT OF THE WORLD by Hillsong United

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Not All Who Seek Him Find Him

 

Matthew 2:3, 4

3. When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4. And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 

He asked not out of good intentions, for his heart was evil. 

In these next few verses, Matthew 2:5-8 and 16-18, we see the result of Herod not finding Jesus. Jesus had only just arrived; it was not His time yet to be found by those whose sole desire was to kill Him.

#Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5015

Disturbed: agitate, stir up, trouble

From the Greek word 'tarassó' (pronounced tar-as'-so). To put in motion (to agitate back-and-forth, shake to-and-fro); (figuratively) to set in motion what needs to remain still (at ease); to "trouble" ("agitate"), causing inner perplexity (emotional agitation) from getting too stirred up inside ("upset"). 

The result of Herod not finding Jesus where He was said to be was that all boys two years old and younger in Bethlehem and it's surrounding areas were immediately murdered by Herod's men. Sadly, this fulfilled another prophecy from Jeremiah 13:15 "This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:17, 18) 

Who knows the intentions of the heart better than God? for the heart is what He looks at when He looks in our direction. Are the hearts of men/women in this day and age still looking for Him to worship Him or to seek His destruction? We can only answer for our own hearts. 

Having been unable to take out Jesus at His birth, the devil tries to destroy Him during His ministry, but it wasn't time. When the time did arrive, the devil's plans backfired: for the crucifixion of Christ overcame for once and for all all of the devil's stratagems.  Joy to the world, indeed. Now, through Christ, we too can overcome the enemy of our souls. 

Seek Him with a desire to know Him and He will surely reveal Himself. He does not hide Himself from the people who truly desire to know Him, love Him, adore Him.

Choose wisdom. Follow after it like the gold seekers of times past, for the wisdom of God is a far greater treasure than any earthly treasure that could be gained. 

The reason so many people do not understand the Bible, and why many misinterpret it, is because they do not want to know the God of the Bible. They are looking constantly for ways to deny Him, His existence. Some believe theories instead of facts because facts obstruct their beliefs. But what is a theory? Conjecture, speculation, assumption, ideology, philosophy are but a few words that mean the same thing as theory. ( I looked in the Thesaurus). 

Conjecture is 'what if'. Speculation is 'maybe'. Assumption is assuming something to be so without actual facts to back it up. Ideology is 'the body of belief or doctrine upon which a person or persons builds their life'. The dictionary has several definitions of Philosophy, none of which contradict each other, but the main theme is that Philosophy is the study and basis of rational thought, rational existence and conducting one's life with studious thought on how to behave. 

Theory is not fact. A fact is known entity. A theory is an unknown entity. Not the same. Wisdom of God is a known entity. The wisdom of men changes with the wind: for whichever the wind blows, man in and of himself, allows himself to be bent by the winds of heresies, false doctrines and the false prophets who spew them into the hearing of the hearts that reject Christ as Lord and Savior of their souls. 

Whose voice are you hearing today? Whose steps do you follow in? Who is your king?Where is your heart? I know where my heart is. For the Bible says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart is." (Luke 12:34) And my heart is with Jesus. 

O Come Let Us Adore Him by Elevation Church