Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Spreading The Gospel Message

 

Luke 2:17, 18

17. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. 

18. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4487

Message: a word, the spoken-word of a living voice; thing spoken

From the Greek word 'rhéma' (pronounced hray'-mah). Most commonly used in the New Testament 'for the Lord speaking His dynamic, living word in a believer to inbirth faith'.

A new King of Israel had been born. Who got the first birth announcements? Shepherds. Blue-collar laborers who worked with their hands taking care of sheep out on the hillsides. Living near the sheep, breathing the same air as the sheep, watching over their flocks in the night. And what did they do after they got over their terror from this unexpected night visit which lit up the skies? These shepherds hurried to the city of Bethlehem, searched for the newborn child and began to praise God when they saw Him. Upon which they immediately left and began to tell everyone what they had just seen and heard. 

Something amazing  and wonderful had befallen these shepherds and they couldn't wait to tell anyone and everyone all about this wonderful new King who had been born. They were excited to spread the gospel message. Even if no one else believed them, they couldn't stop talking about Him. 

And who would believe a bunch of scruffy shepherds? Men who smelled like they'd been living outdoors among animals. Who deigned to hear what a bunch of shepherds had to say? Starting rumors about the Messiah being born in a barn? That couldn't be the Messiah all of Israel had been waiting for. The shepherds were delusional. But let them rave on about their King; who's going to believe them anyway? 

Perhaps, if it had only been shepherds who saw Jesus, who heard angels, the story would have eventually faded away. But we know that didn't happen. Here it is 2022, nearly 2000 years since He first arrived in Bethlehem and people are still talking about Jesus Christ the Messiah of the whole world. People are still spreading the gospel message after receiving it. People are still hearing voices sing praises to the Most High King of Kings. 

I'm one of those people. I'm a servant, a praiser, a worshiper, a seeker, and a finder. 

I'm here to tell you about God's only begotten Son Jesus Christ, whom He sent to this earth to deliver both Jews and non-Jews from the bonds of sin and oppression. 

God's plan of salvation began in the garden of Eden and it will end when God's enemies are destroyed at the end of this world. Not a fairy tale. Not a story. Fact. 

Genesis 3:15

 "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

Romans 16:20

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

John 3:16-18

16. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

17. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

18. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

And what is the prayer of we who preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified for those who have yet to believe? "Lord, save them, deliver them, bring them near to Your heart. Open their eyes to see You that they may open their hearts to receive You. As Your Word says in Revelation 3:20, You stand at the door of our hearts and knock, hoping someone will let You in. This we pray: that someone will let You into their hearts, giving You control, handing You the reins to lead and direct us, over our lives. Whatever it takes, Lord, whatever it takes. We pray Your will be done in their lives."

In Jesus' Beautiful Name,

Amen

I SPEAK JESUS by Here Be Lions

Thanks Be To God - - Sing His Praise For His Salvation & Deliverance

 

Psalm 106:47

Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto Your holy name, and to triumph in Your praise.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3467

Save: yasha (pronounced yaw-shah') means (in this context): deliver (this word occurs 206 times in the Old Testament Scriptures); is sometimes rendered: help, defend, liberate

*Strong's Ex. Conc. 3034

Thanks: yadah (pronounced yaw-daw') means:  to confess, to glorify, to give praise while throwing one's hands or arms up. (occurs 114 times in Scripture)

*Strong's Ex. Conc. 7623

Triumph:  shabach (pronounced shaw-bakh') means: laud, praise God (occurs 11 times in, 8 of which refer to God or God's power Scripture)

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 8416

Praise: tehillah (pronounced teh-hil-law') means: 'song of praise', adoration, thanksgiving, laud, hymn (occurs 57 times in Scripture)

Only The LORD God can save/liberate/help a person stuck in sin. 

We can be relatively good people our whole lives and not be saved. We can go to church/temple and not be saved. Whether we sing contemporary worship songs or traditional hymns, just singing these songs of praise will not save us. We can grow up in loving homes surrounded by the Word of God being shared in our homes and our churches, yet, still not be saved from the consequences and punishment of our sins. 

We will never be 'good enough' to get to heaven on our own merits. God says our self-righteousness is comparable to filthy rags:

Isaiah 64:5, 6 "You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins? Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind."

When we do our own thing and not the LORD's thing, that's sin. 

Isaiah 53:6

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Not just some of us, either, but ALL of US.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

How can we Triumph in His praise when we have nothing to be triumphant about when we continue to live a life that is displeasing to God? We can't. All those praise and worship songs coming out of our mouths are just noise. God can't hear your worship because you're not His people. 

God's people are saved by God's grace. Did you hear me? GOD's People are SAVED by GOD's GRACE. This salvation is our Inner Garment, a Righteous Robe that covers our soul (Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh); a Crown of Life (James 1:12); a Crown of Righteousness  (2 Timothy 4:8); a Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4);   a Crown of Glory & Honor (Psalm 8:5 and  Hebrews 2:7). We are, according to 1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 703

Praises: arete (pronounced ar-et'-ay), which means: moral excellences, goodness, uprightness, virtue which is displayed to enrich life

Dear God,

You are God and there is no other god before You. You are holy. You are faithful. You keep Your promises. You are the God who saves and delivers. You have saved me out of all my transgressions, my iniquities and my sins. Sin still tries to drag me down, but, You, O God, have saved me from the miryness of sin's clutches. 

Your grace is my covering. Your love is my adornment. Your salvation is my armor. Your wisdom resides in my heart. Your Word is my Light, my Song, my Hope, my Everything. 

Thank You, Father, for saving a wretch like me. For sending Your Son to die in my place and for raising Him from the grave, the First of us to do that. Thank You, Father, for all Your many mercies and blessings on me, Your child, Your servant, Your friend. You call me friend. And I am content. 

And, now, I thank You, God, for what You are doing in the hearts and lives of my families and friends. For though we are born into one family, we gain many more along the way on this journey. Thank You for saving and delivering my many families, my friends, the strangers whom I encounter, they who declare themselves my enemies. 

Thank You for pouring out Your Holy Spirit into our hearts and lives that we may live empowered lives which draw people to You and cause us to be bold, loving witnesses of Your grace.

To You be all glory, honor and praise.

In Jesus' Priceless Name, I pray,
Amen