Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for HE shall save His people from their sins.”

Luke 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:11-12 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

I have quoted these verses to remind all of us….that no matter how long it seems we have to wait for God to fulfill a promise…..He will.

God sent HIs Son….on a mission so vital to us….with a message designed to show us our hearts….withdrawn, alone, distressed…

….and draw us to God.

When God sent HIs Son is very important. Israel was barely a nation anymore….they were under Rome….mostly despised….and the people and country trampled under foot of all the soldiers, laws, and trappings of Rome.

Yet God sent His Son to save us…..to manifest His glory and grace to a nation, a people, and a world that had refused His authority for almost two thousand years.

As the song says

“O little town of Bethlehem…how still we see thee lie. Amid thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent hours go by. Yet in thy dark street shineth the Everlasting Light….

….the hopes….and fears….of all the years, are met in thee tonight.”

Christ Jesus was sent…yet He came as a “helpless” babe.

God could have sent HIs Son….full grown and capable of taking care of Himself….but God placed His Son, by the Holy Spirit within a woman….fulfilling the first promise He gave concerning the coming of the Savior.

(Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”)

When Christ came He became to us all that was told of Him.

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called:

Wonderful: How many times have I thought this about my lovely Lord Jesus….about Him…and what He has done for me!

Counselor: His Word comes to us as guidance and encouragement…to come boldly to our Heavenly Father….and to show us the way to go, since He traveled this road, too.

The Mighty God: He has always been in control….for His Word spoke the heavens and the earth into being. And He is in charge now, for me.

The everlasting Father: Christ is one with the Father….and when He was risen, He said, “I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God and your God.” (John 20:17)

And He has made it possible for us to know the love of the Father…”I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.” (John 17:23)

The Prince of Peace: Peace is His gift to us….but it also is His element, and way. He is the God of peace….and when He comes to a heart….He gives His peace to “..keep our hearts and minds..” (Philippians 4:7)….as when He stilled the raging sea by, “Peace, be still.”

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

His kingdom now, within us is a kingdom of “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17)

Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

We started this by reminding all of us of God’s faithfulness in sending Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

And I will end in reminding all of us of God’s faithfulness to us this past year….even into the coming one.

He will perform…would be enough.

But it says the zeal….the ardor and fervor of the Lord of hosts…will perform it.

Let us praise HIs Name….Jesus, who came to save us from our sins….

….Christ, anointed with fullness by the Holy Spirit and with gladness to do the Father’s Will…to fulfill the Purpose of God for us.

Let us remember and stand with Him in the days, months, and years ahead….and praise Him.

“Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will toward men”

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect , will of God.”

Now there should come to each of us who truly seek the Lord’s Will for our lives….that transformation of the mind.

Our natural mind should become spiritual. When it starts to, we become aware of our lives as a whole….how we divide them up:

We have our sacred life…..we have our lives with family,…and we have our school and job life,….we have our lives with friends….and we have our lives with strangers—those we do not think we will see again.

But as much as we are called to the joy of the Lord, we must come to the place where one “life” is as the other.

(For the joy of the Lord is the felt Presence of God in my life.)

When we do, then every act of ours, should be an act of worship to Christ.

Colossians 3:17, 23 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

Our reactions….those instant looks and words which come out of our mouths….become actions…willed thoughts and obediences.

Our emotions do not have valleys and mountains…..but are continually going after what God feels is important.

A life of service to God is the result….service which is full of joy,…because full of the Presence of God.

I do not want to confuse anyone…..anyone who is born again, has the Holy Spirit with them.

But there is a difference in those born again….there are those giving God time in the morning and at night, or on Sunday and Wednesday service….

….or there are those giving Him my life to live through.

This is God’s Presence….He is there, in charge and giving us the grace needed for all the things we see, and feel.

Romans 12:2 “…but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,…”

To be transformed is to change from one thing into another. We are to transform our thoughts, attitudes, and character by…

…”renewing our mind”.

What is “renew our mind”? My husband used to say, “It is to think saved. I now belong to Jesus Christ, and since He has saved me, I am saved from sin and the world…..for HIs Will and glory. This is to think saved.”

To “think saved”, while in a scene of chaos and death around us…..can only be done really, as God’s grace becomes our daily bread. We hunger for it…we need it….we know we can not make it through today..now…without His grace (the unmerited favor of power)

HIs grace sustains us….daily weaning our hearts from the things of this world…..and faith in exercise, keeps our eyes looking toward the Lord, in fellowship and union with Him.

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

We are lifted above the things which are seen and we are occupied with “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

This is to be renewed in mind….which will transform our natural lives into spiritual lives….lived for the glory and will of God.

When the fullness of the time was come…

Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”

The whole work of creation is for one purpose….to manifest the Son….to bring about the fulfillment of the Everlasting Covenant.

Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting covenant,

Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

(It is interesting that this Covenant is so explicitly set forth here in Hebrews….certainly the writer is writing the Church in Jerusalem….showing that the sacrifice of Christ was and is the means for the perfecting of the believers….both Jew and Gentile.)

1 Timothy 2:5-6 There is One God, and One Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus;

Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

When the Godhead first decided to Create….They saw by their Omniscience, the rebellion of Lucifer, who became Satan, fighting against all things of God.

They saw the fall of man, and all the evil that man opens his heart to.

They saw the necessity for the flood….giving grace to Noah and saving him in the Ark.

They saw the call of Abram and the establishing of the Jewish Nation….all their obediences and failures….right up to the time of:

Luke 2:1, 3-7 “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.”

(God put out a decree long before this….that all these things should be!)

“And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she would be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

(Is there “room” in our lives for the Christ of God?)

The Godhead saw all this, along with the obediences and failures of the church…..yet decided to create….

And the beginning of that creation, was the Everlasting Covenant.

This covenant was established on an Eternal Foundation….the saving of a people for His Name’s sake.

“Through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant”.

1 Peter 1:19-20 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”

Christ agreed to come as man….made of a woman….as scripture said.

He would be…”very God of very God, and very man of very man”

He would be born under the law….and fulfill that law perfectly….

….so that He would be a perfect sacrifice…”without blemish and without spot:”

He would die as a substitute for us…..taking our sin upon Him….

…and God would raise Him up….accepting His sacrifice.

God, the Father, agreed to give Him a people….draw them to Christ to be saved,….place His Holy Spirit within them to be with them…..and bring them safely home to Heaven, even through battles and failures.

Everything before Christ’s birth was in anticipation of it….preparing a people to believe and trust.

Everything after Christ’s birth was to manifest the Promise fulfilled….preparing a people to believe and trust.

What kind of love would make God the Son, come and place His whole being, as a helpless baby, in the hands of men?

What kind of trust would make the Son of God give Himself up to the hatred of the rulers, the mob of people, the mocking of soldiers, and the pain and separation of the cross….to please His Father’s Will….and give us salvation?

The fullness of the time….is not just a clever phrase…..it is Christ manifested in the flesh for us. (1 Timothy 3:16)

God fulfilled His promise of a Savior…..in His time, and His Way.

Galatians 4:4-7 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

And now the fullness of times has come for you.

If you have not received Him…..will you open your heart to Him now, and be born again?

Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

As joint heirs of Christ, will you be found faithful to that which He has called you to fulfill?

Will we receive that love God has for us…..that peace which will establish us…..in order to complete the work….”make you perfect in every good work to do His will”?

God’s Will will be done…..will we yield to our part of it?

Are we possessing our personal possessions?

Joshua 18:2 “And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.”

When the Israelites came across Jordan, they camped in Gilgal….as they did in the wilderness, around the Tabernacle.

For at least five years they warred with the main armies of the land to possess it for Israel.

They had fought fortress cities, five kings and their armies, four kings who had an army like the sand of the sea….they had fought and won….destroying their enemies which came against them, taking their cities and land.

Yet there was more land to possess….so the Lord told Joshua to divide the land between the tribes…and let them possess their own parcel…destroying the inhabitants…to cleanse the land.

Then Joshua and the high priest divided the land among the tribes which came to them to get…

….among them was the notable Caleb of Judah….”give me that mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day.” (Joshua 14:12)

Amazing man….faithful and brave. At least eighty-five years old….he declared “..as yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me….if so be the Lord will be with me, that I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.”

The whole congregation went up to Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle there. Now was everything set up for the nation of Israel….except…

But seven tribes still lingered in Gilgal. They had grown comfortable there….and they were lazy about getting their inheritance.

Perhaps they did not want to get them without the other tribes help….perhaps they just liked being there….they were safe, why rock the boat?

Yet Joshua rebukes them with the question:

“How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?”

(And may I ask each of us….are we slack concerning some promise the Lord has given us? Have we “fought” for it, wrestling in prayer….asking, seeking, and knocking….to have what the Lord has set aside for us?)

Joshua sends them out of their comfort zone, and three times Joshua tells them:

“Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me that I may here cast lots for you before the Lord…”. (Joshua 18:4, 6, 8).

This was an insistence….

“Go”…no one tribe or family, was to be without their inheritance.

“Walk through the land”….see what the Lord has for you…and your heart will want to fight for it.

“I will cast lots for you”….the Lord would choose the inheritance of each….whether fields or hills….many enemies or few….the Lord will choose and the Lord will give it you. Yes they would have to fight for it, but the promise is sure.

(Until we get up out of where we are in our experience….and “walk” into what the Lord has for us….we are not going anywhere.

Like Israel, we may have great memories of the wonderful works the Lord has done for us….but what about now? What about our personal promises? What about the calling the Lord has for each of us?)

Israel was to stay at Gilgal….until the time appointed.

But then it was time to get up and live in the circumstances the Lord appointed for each.

And Joshua was to see to it.

Joshua 18:10 “And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel…”

Now they were to conquer and live in the inheritance the Lord had given them…personally.

Although Gilgal was a wonderful place, where their foot became assured of God’s faithfulness….yet it was not their personal possession…for that, they would have to leave behind the first steps….and go on with the Lord.

And we, too, have been assured of the faithfulness of God by the wonderful blessing of the Holy Spirit….our first real steps in the life of faith…

….we are born again, and we have the Holy Spirit within us….

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,

Which is the earnest (downpayment) of our inheritance…”

And we certainly know that in heaven we will have an eternal inheritance, laid up for us:

1 Peter 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

(Notice the personal “you”)

But we also have an inheritance to be possessed by us, by the power of the Holy Spirit within:

Colossians 1:10-12 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:”

This inheritance of the saints in light….is the grace, and faith, and patience, and long-suffering, and joyfulness to walk worthy of our Lord day by day in our personal good works.

God has “delivered us from the power (authority)of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: (under His authority)”

Will we sit still….content to stay as we are?

Or will we fight for our inheritance, and receive all His promises to us?

Behold, I am at the Door

Revelation 3:20 “Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

What door is He at?

He is at the Church door. In the second and third chapters of Revelation, we have the letters Jesus Christ wrote through John to the churches.

They were a cross section of the church of that period; and of all the church ages.

He speaks very personally with each: telling each age what needs to be changed, what He praises them for, and what He promises those that overcome through these changes.

When He comes to the Laodicean Church, it is not their actions that He corrects; but their seeing and hearing.

They don’t see what they truly are, and they are not hearing Him as they should; for He stands outside the door, knocking.

He is calling to those who will hear inside.

But what are they? They are lukewarm Christians.

First, let me say, that though it is the church door Jesus is standing and knocking at; it is to “any man” (man or woman, boy or girl), that He speaks to.

For it is His Voice which is heard, within.

This fact, that we are within the Church, is important.

He is not calling, in this way, to the lost in the world.

He is calling to those in the Church; to those who should recognize His Voice. (John 10:4)

What should they do to open the door?

To “open the door”, or to answer His call, in this Laodicean Age, is not an answer of words (even at some altar, though it may start there), but an answer of a life open to and receptive to Him.

In this age, we have mostly forgotten Christ as Lord.(As “A Lord”, yes. But as our Lord, no.)

For the Lordship of Christ is mostly thought of as: One day He will be Lord of All.

Of course that is true, because He is Lord of all, now. (Matthew 28:18)

But when we speak of Christ as Lord, we mean that He is our Lord. That He commands and we will do, that He can do what He will with His own; meaning me.

It is a surrender of the whole man, active, to Christ. All our faculties are brought into subjection to Him.

So to open to Christ is to give our life to Him, a once done act.

And live our lives to Him, receiving every word He says, because we receive Him.

(Have you received Christ? Has He a place in your life?

You may say, He is in my heart. How much of your heart does He have?

For your heart signifies your life: your thoughts, feelings and affections, and actions.)

He is standing.

And when He stands, He is ready to do for that individual who will hear Him.

Ready to come in and impart power, power within us and power through us; and to have that fellowship which is the backbone of power.

Daniel 11:32b “…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”

We can do nothing without Him. The real power of life is Christ’s life within our lives.

His fellowship, then is paramount.

It is the “sup with” us, that speaks of the kind of fellowship. For in Bible times, you could never eat with an enemy.

If someone came into your house, and you fed them, they were worthy of your best, both in food and conversation.

If we are not fellowshipping with Him, we are lukewarm.

We think we are just hot enough to get by, He can’t possibly refuse our prayers, our service, our activities.

We are warm. We are O.K.

But that is not the way God sees it. (Revelation 3:15-17)

And He sees everything.

(There used to be a children’s song “Be careful little eyes, what you see. Be careful little feet, where you go. Be careful little mouth, what you say….For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes, feet, mouth”

Children were trained to know God saw them every where……what they did, what they said, what they saw; and that He loved them, so they should stay close to Him.

It has been stressed of late, that we might be scaring our children, by such language.

No, no, no.

Where love is, there is no fear.

1 John 4:16-18 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath for us. God is love: and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in God; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Caution is a good thing. A little preparation, is better than a lot of sorrow, especially where our children are concerned.

To know they are being seen, yes, if they are going to get themselves into trouble, is good.

But to know they are being seen when anything is going on. God loves them. He knows, He sees.

If they are Christians, this is powerful stuff, for God is powerful for them, as well as in them.)

He is standing at the door of the Church, and His voice is calling us to “open to Me”.

If any person will:

First, hear His Voice.

Second, Open your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

You might say you did this when you were born again.

Yes, you should have received Him then (John 1:12). But have you somewhere shut the door to part of your life?

For those who realize they are lukewarm; His call to come, is for you.

Come, and open your life to Him, completely.

Think of the doors in your life you have shut to Him, and bring them to Him, and open them to Him.

Remember His love to you, and talk to Him about it. And keep talking.

He is Standing ; Ready to do, for you.

Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in Thy sight

Matthew 11:25-26 “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Even so, Father: for so it seemeth good in Thy sight.”

Jesus had just upbraided or rebuked the cities that He had done many works in….because they repented not.

(Repentance is a change of mind, heart, and direction for our lives.)

Then Jesus turns away from them….turning His eyes to the Father and His Will…and gives thanks. In Luke 10:21, it says “…Jesus rejoiced in spirit,..”. How beautiful

Jesus saw that His Father’s Will was being done….those that did repent and believe….were not “the wise and prudent”…..but “babes”.

“Babes” here means….not speaking, an infant, a simple minded person.

Most Israelites were not versed in the scriptures….they could not say, “Well in Isaiah it speaks of exactly what Jesus is doing”….

…but they could hear, and believe on Him….and this many did. They were the babes.

Chorazin (a city near Capernaum)….Bethsaida (many around there were healed Mark 6:45,55-56)…..and Capernaum (the place Jesus lived after leaving Nazareth Matthew 4:13)….were all great cities…..Jesus had preached and done many miracles in them….

…but the many people, though amazed at His works….repented not.

Jesus message was “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

….and He thanked the Father that His Way was being accomplished….not by the “wise”, who should have seen, heard, and known He was the Messiah…

…but by the simple people….who heard, saw and believed….and repented.

Matthew 11:27 “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

This is the way we know God….Come to Christ Jesus…and He will show you.

And here Christ Jesus gives a call…again….to come to Him….and have “rest”….”to repose, to lay your head on His strong shoulder.”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

All our answers are: “Come unto Christ”.

But He calls those that labor or are wearied because of their labors….both physically and mentally….

…and those that are laden down….”over burdened…with spiritual anxiety”….from darkness around, and confusion within.

(At this time in Palestine, there were many who had given up the goal of life….distress and despair….was commonplace.

Yes, there were many who still sought God in the temple and in the sacrifices…

….but the Roman occupation, and the lack of value in their lives…along with the cruelty and greed of their own rulers….was destroying all hope.

But Salvation came…peace came…in the person of Jesus Christ….for all who would receive Him.)

This is a spiritual call….for our sins and iniquities are real burdens.

Jesus said:

“Come unto Me….don’t stay away because of sins, illnesses, grief or despair….Come unto Me…I am the One who is salvation.

…then, “Take My yoke upon you”.

I take away the yoke and burden of sin….and give you a yoke which is always connected to Me…you will have My strength….we are in this together….no matter what comes up….

….and this is real rest….to repose or lay your head on My strong shoulder.

My yoke, unlike the one which is labor and weariness….is easy. Union with Me makes it easy to go forward in all the steps I have for you, and learn of Me.

My burden,…and their will be burdens, for in this life we must be faithful….but they are light. They do not weigh you down….they give you purpose….that goal of God’s glory returned, with joy and peace.

Come unto Me. This is the call to any who recognize Who I am. This is to all who recognize who they are….and want to repent.”

Come….get up from where you are in your thoughts, actions and life….and receive the Lord Jesus Christ….believe on Him….trust Him.

This call is still going out to all the world….and to you, who are burdened.

Today, if you will hear Him…receive Him and believe.

A Scribe which can be Instructed

Matthew 13:52 “Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.”

We mostly consider scribes as wicked men; they certainly were to Jesus. Some of them only sought to discredit, or mock Him.

But there were others who sought to know the truth:

Matthew 8:19 “A certain scribe, came and said unto Him, Master, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.”

Mark 12:28, 34 “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all?

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou are not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask Him any question.”

Scribes, (they were usually Levites, the family of the priests), were assigned at the beginning of their history, for good: They were to write out the law and teach it to the people who might not come to the Tabernacle or the Temple.

All were to know God’s law, and they were assigned the job, to write and pass it out, by teaching it.

Jeremiah was assigned this job by Josiah, the last Godly king of Judah, who led a revival there. (2 Kings 23:25)

Also Ezra was a “scribe in the law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6), and led many of his countrymen back to the land after the Babylonian captivity.

He led a revival there (Ezra 9-10), and also helped Nehemiah with the first reading of the law to those returned (some of them had never heard it before. Nehemiah 8:5-6, 8).

Scribes were given to make people understand what God wanted them to do, using His Word to show them.

Though some corrupted this; yet Jesus said, “…every scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like”:

He said that if you know the scriptures, My words, then you can bring out of them, things new: that which you have discovered by the experience of them, and share them.

And things old: what others have written or testify from them.

Both are food for us, as Christians.

We need to know what Jesus has said:

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye love one another:”

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

We need to know what the Word says:

1 Thessalonians 5:8 “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.”

1 Timothy 6:6-7 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

We need to remember the examples taught us in the Old Testament, for they are lessons to us. (1 Corinthians 10:6)

And we need to awake to the warnings of His Word, against the enemies within us…and around us in this world:

John 7:24 “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement.”

Ephesians 4:26 “Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”

Galatians 5:24-26 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

These are some of the verses the Lord has dealt with me about through the years (there are lots more), and I share them with you, letting the Holy Spirit speak to you about them, as He will.

God has given us His Word. Let us hear what the Word says to us, and be instructed unto the kingdom of heaven…..

And pass it on.

Light makes manifest

Ephesians 5:13 “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.”

And isn’t that what we need….to have the Light show us where we are wrong,…where we are right,….where we should stand?

There is a verse which describes what our walk with the Lord should be:

Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

When the dawn comes….first there is a lighting of the sky, but no sun. Then the sun is up…you can see it rising from the horizon. As the day goes on….so the sun rises…till it is overhead.

Then and only then there are no shadows seen.

When the sun is rising our shadows are behind us. But when the sun is at high noon, there are no shadows seen.

So should our walk be….more and more unto the “perfect day”….where the Light of Christ is brightest.

Shadows in scripture are seen, but are not substance.

Though our sins maybe taken care of…confessed up to date….yet the shadow represents the influence of our Adversary, the devil, through the thing.

It plays on our mind….”how could I have done this?”

Or….”This shows how little faith I have!”

These suggestions often come from our Adversary, and effect our thoughts and emotions….in the time, now.

When this happens, we need to come again to the Light….not in confession, but in healing….letting the Light of Christ give us HIs Word to us….and yielding to His Light.

Ephesians 5:13” But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.”

Example:

Jesus has gone into the Temple, to teach, early in the morning….

….and in come some scribes and Pharisees, with a woman.

They place her in the midst of this crowd….right before Jesus and tempt Him with a question…..a question that might look like they really wanted to know His Word….but it was just a trick.

John 8:4-5 “They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”

(Now this whole message centers around Light. God’s Light making manifest….showing us what is within ourselves, by His Word to us.)

Jesus stooped down and wrote in the ground…but they continue to ask Him….

John 8:7b “…He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

Here is the Light….they came expecting to manifest their righteous anger at sin…

…they expected to manifest Jesus was speaking against the law…

…but instead the Light of Jesus manifested their very personal sin.

Not to others, but to themselves.

John 8:9 “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”

Now I want to say here….that it manifested to the woman her sin as well….but she stayed….to hear from Jesus, His judgement on her.

John 8:10-11 “When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

The Light had manifested to each their own sins…..but only one had chosen to stay in the Light.

John 3:19-20 “And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

And Christ’s Words made, and will make manifest.

Ephesians 5:14 “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

And Christ shall give you light! What a promise….light to dispel all those shadows.

Ephesians 5:15 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,”

Circumspectly means to take each step on our way, with eyes and ears open….like we are in our enemies territory.

Looking down at the path for traps….looking around for the enemy….making sure we are walking safely.

We can not keep ourselves…..but we can be serious about our walk with Christ Jesus…and be watchful.

Ephesians 5:16 “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

These days are dark days,…..but we can hold up our light….the manifestation of Christs light within us….and give Light to HIs house, and the world around us.

Simeon, and Anna

God prepares hearts…….to see and receive His blessed Son……sometimes years ahead…..leading them to worship and joy.

Luke 2:25-26 “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”

Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus had come to Jerusalem eight days after his birth…..that they might offer Him unto the Lord…..by an offering told in the law(Exodus 22:29)…..and give the offering of purification. (Leviticus 12:2-8)

They had come to the Temple,….and the Holy Spirit had led Simeon to be there, as well…..when he saw them….he went over and….

Luke 2:28-32 “Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Lord, now lettest Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word:

For mine eyes have seen Thine Salvation,

Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

A Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”

How lovingly and tenderly does Simeon pick up His Lord…..”and blessed God”….

Simeon praised God’s goodness in letting him see His Son….for being faithful to His promise to him.

He praised God for His Salvation….wrapped up in this little baby.

He praised God for the Purpose of His Salvation….both to the Gentiles and Israel.

And in this praise Simeon prophesied of the Way of salvation….

…..”before the face of all people”….

……Christ was raised between earth and heaven, outside the city….on a hill…..before all the people, from all over, which came to the Passover!

Simeon showed that Christ was presented as God’s Glory….to Israel…..

(Luke 2:14 and the angels praise…..”Glory to God in the highest…”

Wise men coming and telling all, in Jerusalem, of the Star which announced the King’s birth Matthew 2:1-3.

The miracles, again and again…how glorious they all were.

The prophesy of Christ coming in as King to Jerusalem…..and He did. Zechariah 9:9).

And Simeon showed that Christ would be presented to the Gentiles…..as Light….(Matthew 4:15-16, John 8:12, Acts 26:17-18)

And then he turned to Mary and Joseph….

Luke 2:34-35 “And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary His mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

(Yea, a sword shall pass through thine own soul also;) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

God sent His Beloved Son to save all who would come to the the Light….

….many will rise to be joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17)…

…and many will fall…rebelling against their King…and Lord….and destroy themselves in the process. (Mark 12:1-9)

“That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”. It is our hearts, God wants…..will we give them?

Luke 2:36-38 “And there was one Anna, a prophetess,…..of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity.

And she was a widow of about four score and four years, which departed not from the Temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

Anna, who was at least in her nineties, came into the part of the Temple that Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and Simeon were.

Hearing what Simeon said…..she rejoiced.

How much joy the birth of Jesus gave those “who looked for redemption”…in Israel.

She had not departed from the Temple for years, after she became a widow,….but stayed…..feeling her work to serve God was to fast and pray…..night and day.

(Night is first….probably her best time to pray…..for few would be around)

But with the knowledge that Redemption, in the Person of this baby was come….she told everyone that she knew,…..that was waiting for Him.

Even as a babe, Christ Jesus separated men and women into two groups…..those who wanted their King….and His kingdom, to come to them….

….and those to whom the news of Christ made no impact….except to interfere with their lives……they did not care that the King had come (Luke 19:14, 27)

To these two, Simeon and Anna,……Christ was the One they had been praying, and looking for…..Emmanuel….God with us….

……and here He was, a baby, in His mother’s arms.

How amazing!

God deserved all praise,….from all….

….yet being wise in the Holy Ghost……they told only those who were looking and waiting for Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah, to come.

Christ Jesus came a baby, born in a manger…..for there was no room in the inn….

Heralded by angels….seen and recognized by shepherds,

By wise men from a far country,…

…Simeon and Anna…..

……and those unnamed, but known of God, which looked for the Christ to come.

Let us rejoice at His birth…..and what it means for us.

(Notice the names of Christ spoken here:

Consolation: 2 Thessalonians 2:16 “Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God even our Father which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.”

Salvation: Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.”

Light: Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

The Glory: Psalm 24:7 “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in.”

Redemption: 1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

Redemption is to be bought back….bought back from sin, and death, from Satan’s power, and the world.

He is all these, and more, to those who receive Him.)

To be Saved, Spirit, Soul, and Body

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.”

He is faithful….this is a wonderful name of our Lord Jesus.

Faithful here means to be trustworthy….like a parent who builds us up…we can trust ourselves to Him….and His guidance….for He wants the best for us.

All He does, is with the view in mind, to make us….and give us…all He has for us.

While we are body, soul, and spirit (this is the way we see ourselves,….

……although you will note: that He says spirit, soul and body)……we can not really separate one from the other….

What we feel in our emotions….we often show on our faces. What we think, we often express in words.

But there is a complete salvation: spirit, soul, and body.

We are body, soul and spirit….even when we are lost. Our spirit is darkened, and we are alone.

But when we are born again….the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit,…comes into our spirit….and implants a new nature….God’s nature; and gives us faith, and grace.

Then, everything changes.

Before we lived from the outward in….

…..things influencing us from our bodies:

what we see, what we hear, what we smell, what we feel….all influence our souls…..and our soul’s reaction to them.

(Our souls are our minds….thoughts and reasons; Our hearts….emotions and affections; Our wills….which is the action part of us….for what we will, we do.)

But when we are born again, we live from the inside out:

The Holy Spirit, in our spirit….which is now enlightened and empowered by faith and grace….

….presses against our souls….our minds, our hearts affection and emotion, and our wills…

….to work out His Will and Word to us.

This “working out” changes our character into the character of Christ.

For God has placed within us a new nature…..a new disposition.

And we express our character through our bodies.

We are drawn to the things of God….we are interested in His Word….we are desirous of fellowship with others who love the Lord.

Philippians 2:12-13 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:

For it is God Who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

This working out is from the spirit to the body….because of the Atonement of Christ….

Because of what Christ did….and Who He is to us (our Lord and Savior)….we can claim the full salvation of us.

He saves us spiritually, when we are born again.

He is faithful….He will never let us go….nor let any pluck us from His hand.

John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

He saves our souls,….our minds from the world’s thoughts and opinions; our hearts from inordinate affections, and our wills from stubbornness and going our own way…

……as we yield to the Holy Spirit’s authority over our lives.

First, in denying our self life, our habits, our opinions, our plans, our associates….(all of this is taking away the old….putting off)

Colossians 3:9 “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds,”

Second, by taking on the character of Christ…by using the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)….that the Holy Spirit works within us (remember, now that we are born again, we grow from inward to outward….yet all of us is saved)

Love,….when we would prefer not to

(and love is in the active noun….not some nice, sweet, thought that never transfers to work)

Joy, which is the Presence of God in my life….even amid trials and tribulations.

Patience, when we would normally get frustrated…or run ahead.

Peace, when we would normally be in turmoil.

Yes, these and all the rest….can….will….be worked in our spirits, then our characters……through our bodies….by the Holy Spirit of God!

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

Do I pay any attention that my body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost?….the place where He is working?

Or do I think of Him as “a Roomer”; one which has a room in my house, but that is all?

When Jesus Christ came to earth,….very God and very man….He was filled with the Holy Spirit,……

….because that is what we need….and He was an example in all things.

After that, every day was a day to work, to teach, to witness, to rebuke, to heal…

….yet everyday was filled with the ordinary things of walking, talking, eating, and praying.

His life was the template of the life God has for us….

…are we ready to be saved….spirit,….soul,…and body….and manifest Christ’s character through us?