It's Personal

Now, if time-travel was possible and you could be injected into Luke's account of Jesus' birth, where would you choose to be? I’ve pondered this and without hesitation, I would travel to the fields outside Bethlehem; there, where shepherds “watched their flocks by night … and lo, the angel of the LORD appeared” (Luke 2:8-9). Think about it: the last group an earthly king would give audience would be a group of lowly shepherds yet they are the ones whom The King of Glory chose to deliver His “good tidings of great joy to all people” (V.11). How evident The Gospel was for all people! The angel’s next words should ignite personal delight in every heart: “For unto you” ... unto you ... that is, for you and for me, a personal Savior! "Unto you" is as personal as it gets! Emmanuel – God with us – The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), meaning  "to pitch a tent" a reminder of the Old Testament tabernacle where God met with man. A Savior for all people - A Savior Who is personal. What a time to consider just how personal He is to you!

Treasure for Treasure

What fun to watch little ones open Christmas packages! We are sometimes humbled by their fascination with the box instead of the gift itself. Do you wonder what the young child Jesus thought of the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh? After all, what are such riches to The One Who posses the "cattle on a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10)! One of the biggest challenges we face as Believers today is how we wrongly identify our treasures. With a a quick point-and-click, we see and get whatever our eyes or hearts desire. Before too long, however, that "treasure" blends into the wood-work and is gathering dust. Some treasure it is. "... And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." (Matthew 2:9b-11 ESV). You know what made the "wise men" so wise? They were treasure-seekers, and they were divinely led to the real Treasure - The Child, Jesus. It was fitting then that they offered their most treasured things ... gold, frankincense, myrrh ... laying them before Him. How willingly are we to set aside, lay-down, give-up, sacrifice things that have captured our hearts? Jesus needs nothing from me, from you; what He desires most is my heart, your heart. When Jesus is our Treasure [like the wise men], we will worship Him then offer-up to Him what possesses us. We delightfully give up ... treasure for Treasure. 

Promised - Delivered

When a promise is made, child-like faith never entertains the idea the promise it will be broken. Sadly, we live in a world where promises are not kept, therefore, certainty is a precious treasure.  Following the birth of his son, John [the Baptist], Zechariah said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people and has raised up a horn of Salvation for us ... to show the Mercy promised ..." (Luke 1:68, 69, 72). Mercy promised - Jesus, Child of Bethlehem surpassed all expectations: "Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give Light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of Peace." (V.78-79).  God promise of Mercy alone is a wonder but the promise [of Mercy] kept -- amazing still!  Lost and undone, Salvation with all its riches promised and delivered free to all who believe. A confident and absolute Certainty is Who the angel announced to the shepherds. Mercy promised - Mercy delivered!

Delight To Do

Some folks just don't care to be told what to do - not me! This older-me is quite happy to be pointed in the right direction and given instructions. It just seems to require less brain power! Did you know there are approximately three hundred references to angels in Scripture? I suspect there are more than three hundred imaginations and speculations, however, about what they do - many untrue. David wrote, "Praise the LORD, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His word. Praise the LORD, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will." (Psalm  103:20-21).  From this passage alone, we learn that angels are mighty heavenly beings, but most importantly, we learn that they do God's bidding; they obey God's word; they do God's will. Jesus Himself said, "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish His work." (John 4:34). What a perfect time of the year to consider our own obedience to The One Who calls us to Himself. David said, "I delight to do Your will, O my God." (Psalm 40:7-8). Let us - like the shepherds - make haste to go and see ... Jesus Messiah ... then delight to do His will.

Whose You Are

 

"Remember who you are," Mom would say as I left the house; it was a mother's advice - a subtle warning to "behave yourself." Matthew writes, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly,. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'" (Matthew 1:18-20). Not that his parents would have ever let him forget, but God's messenger reminded Joseph of his royal lineage, which would have brought to mind ancient words that from David's family would come the Savior of the world. Consider this: every born-
again Believer has been bought with a price, adopted into God's Royal Family, and given an inheritance into His Kingdom for now into eternity. God's children have Kingly qualities and a Fragrance foreign to this world. You see, it's not who we are as much as whose we are! Do not let this Season of the Savior slip away before you know for sure whose you are and celebrate your rich life in Jesus Messiah.