MICAH 5:2 - BORN IN BETHLEHEM

BORN IN BETHLEHEM

Micah 5:2 (TLB)

“O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

you are but a small Judean village,

yet you will be the birthplace of my King

who is alive from everlasting ages past!”

People may have thought the King of all Israel

Would be born in the capitol, Jerusalem.

But the prophet Micah had predicted

He’d be born in the village of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem was known as the hometown of David,

From whom the Messiah would descend.

David was a mighty king of Israel,

But the One to come would upend

Not only the Jews but every nation

For He was born to be King of Kings.

The Magi from the East bowed in worship

And brought Him precious things.

For Jesus fulfilled this prophecy,

Born in tiny, obscure Bethlehem.

However, when He returns to this world

All people will bow low before Him;

For then it will be obvious

That He is the Lord of all.

Not only those who love Him

But evildoers before Him will fall.

The baby laid in the manger

When there were no rooms to be found

Will return with the fanfare of trumpets

Which throughout the world will resound.

All those who refused to believe Him,

Will lie prostrate on their faces

And from their unwilling mouths

Will proclaim the King of king’s praises.

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess

That Jesus Christ is Lord—

That Baby born in Bethlehem

In fulfillment of God’s word. 

PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11 - AT THE NAME OFJESUS

AT THE NAME OF JESUS

By Susie Hale & Susan Slade

From Philippians 2:9-11

Jesus Christ is Lord,

In Hebrew, Adonai.

This title is significant;

Do not let it pass you by.

Adonai means master,

Owner by all rights.

In those who bow before Him now,

Lord Jesus takes delight.

Jesus Christ is Sovereign,

King of kings and Lord of lords.

Wise men understand this

And live according to His word.

When Christ returns triumphant

All will be compelled to bow,

But the joy of abiding with Him

is given to all who worship now. 

MATTHEW 17:5 - JESUS, SON OF GOD

LUKE 1:30-33 - ACCORDING TO THY WORD

ACCORDING TO THY WORD

Luke 1:30-33

Let me set the scene: Mary was a young, devout, Jewish girl going about her daily chores. She was pledged to marry a man named Joseph, but they were not even to the point of setting the wedding date. An angel suddenly appeared out of nowhere—not the norm in the obscure village of Nazareth or anywhere else for that matter. Mary shivered with fear because, in reality, angels are scary. The angel’s opening line is that of most angels when they appear to mere humans, “Fear not.” Just when she is feeling a little bit better about the situation, he drops a bombshell on her. You’re going to be pregnant! And this is going to be no ordinary baby. Gabriel made it abundantly clear that she was to bear the Messiah. First, Mary was to name her baby “Jesus” meaning “Jehovah is generous. Jehovah saves.” Then he said that Jesus would be called “Son of the Highest” meaning He would be God’s Son as foretold in Psalm 2:7. He tops it off by declaring that her son would reign on David’s throne forever and ever fulfilling the prophecies of Jeremiah 23:5 and Isaiah 9:6-7.  If you read on a few verses in Luke chapter one, you will see that Mary was too overwhelmed to take all this in. She asked how this could happen since she was a virgin—a logical question from a human standpoint—but this was a mighty angel of God she was talking to. Gabriel patiently explained that God’s Holy Spirit would accomplish placing the embryo in her womb and that with God nothing is impossible. Then in Luke 1:38, we have Mary’s beautiful response to this unsettling announcement, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

God reveals His purposes for believers in His word, through godly preaching, and by the prompting of His Holy Spirit within. Mary was asked to risk her reputation and her relationship with Joseph and even give up her rights to her own body in order to carry God’s Son in her womb. None of us will be asked to sacrifice in that same way. However, whatever God is calling us to do, I pray we will humbly reply, “Be it done unto me according to thy word.” Mary did not achieve fame or fortune in her lifetime but has been remembered with reverence throughout history. We may receive no recognition for our obedience to God while we reside on this ball called earth. However, in Heaven, may we hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

REVELATION 22:16 - BRIGHT MORNING STAR

COLOSSIANS 3:15 - LET PEACE RULE AND BE THANKFUL

LET PEACE RULE AND BE THANKFUL

Paul wrote to the Colossians because they were being led astray by various heresies. The church, which was composed of both Jews and Gentiles, was being fractured by those who were Judaizers, who thought it necessary for Gentiles to be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses before becoming Christians and then, on the other hand, those who were denying the deity of Jesus and claiming to have a higher knowledge and mystical experiences. Paul reminded the believers at Colossae what the pure truth of the Gospel was, that no works were effective or necessary and that salvation comes through faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross alone. Peace—wholeness, nothing missing, nothing broken—comes only by the power of the presence of Jesus in one’s life through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Ritual, whether legalism, asceticism, or mysticism, in and of itself will never bring peace with God. That peace can only be found in the gift of God, His Son Jesus Christ.   We can rest in God’s peace because Jesus is trustworthy. If we are anxious, we are not allowing peace to rule (Philippians 4:6-7). We cannot be at peace with others except and until you are at peace with God within yourself. Once God has healed your fractured life (saved you), He can mend the brokenness in your relationships.

If today, you are anxious or feeling broken, read the following scriptures and allow God’s peace to rule.

• ·        Proverbs 3:5-6
• ·        Isaiah 26:3
• ·        John 14:27
• ·        Philippians 4:6-7

Spend time in prayer thanking the Lord for restoring your peace.

GENESIS 29:20 - JACOB LOVED RACHEL by Susan R. Slade

JACOB LOVED RACHEL

The reader is probably familiar with the love story of Jacob and Rachel. Jacob was sent by his father to find a wife from the family of his mother Rebekah’s brother Laban. There he discovered Laban’s daughter Rachel and fell head over heels in love with her. He agreed to work for his Uncle Laban for seven years as the bride price for Rachel, but after consummating the marriage, he lifted the veil; and lo and behold, he had been tricked into marrying her sister Leah! Laban was an even greater schemer than Jacob. Laban required Jacob to work another seven years in order to marry Rachel; and because of his love for her, he agreed to his uncle’s terms. Therefore, all together he worked fourteen years in order to marry the love of his life, but due to his love, the years flew by as if only a few days. Jacob’s love was proven by the sweat equity he willingly expended.

•       ·  Listen intently to the person share their sorrows or             their joys
  ·        Do a kind deed for that person without being asked
  ·        Schedule time to read to a child or elderly loved one
  ·        Enclose a card or note in a lunch sack
  ·        Call a loved one on the phone even when it is NOT           their birthday
• · 

Love is not just words alone or action alone. True love is articulated verbally but manifested in affectionate and practical deeds as well. Jacob went to great lengths because of his love for Rachel. By working to earn her hand, he was actualizing his love for her. Think of ways you can demonstrate your love for someone special in your life whether that be your spouse, child, parent, friend, or sibling. Here are some ideas to get you started:

    Create your own list and put your ideas into action. 
Use love as a verb this week!

COVENANT CONFIRMED by Susie Hale

RE-RUN OF "EASIER SAID THAN DONE" by Susie Hale

I originally wrote this nine years ago, but sometimes we need to look back and remember God's kindness and faithfulness to us to remember how thankful we should be every day of our lives. Susie

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Easier Said than Done

"Every morning tell him, 'Thank you for your kindness,' and every evening rejoice in all his faithfulness" Psalm 92:2 TLB

Reading this scripture is far easier than following it. Take this morning for example. Last night I did not sleep - not a wink, but I really needed to get up and go to Sunday School this morning because we are having a fellowship at my house Friday night and we needed to discuss details. Just as I was putting Mom back to bed because she hadn't slept either, the phone rang. My sister was calling to say that she was not feeling well and hadn't slept all night and, therefore, would not be coming to stay with Mom so I could go to church.

Okay, plan B. I called my friend to see if she could come by to get the invitations and directions to my house to pass out in Sunday school. I woke her up, but she said she'd call me back for directions in a few minutes. She called back and said, "Let me stay with your Mom so you can go to Sunday school. I hate for you to miss since Sunday morning is the only time you get to go to church." I agreed to that plan. After I hung up I thought, "Oh my! The house is a train wreck!"

The phone rang again. It was my sister saying she was coming over after all because her 4-yr-old great grandson was throwing a fit saying, "Granny! I had to miss Sunday school last week. I CAN'T miss two weeks in a row!"

I should have thanked God for his kindness even when it looked like I was going to miss church. But when I realized the little guy was that excited about going to church, I finally remembered to thank God for his kindness and his faithfulness. God is SO GOOD!!!!

DEUTERONOMY 10:12-13 - ACTION REQUIRED

ACTION REQUIRED

DEUTERONOMY 10:12-13

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee,

but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways,

and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God

with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes,

which I command thee this day for thy good?

God had specific requirements for His chosen people of Israel to adhere to, and He demands the same things from His children today. The four commands in this statement—fear, walk, love, and serve—are all verbs. Verbs imply actions. We are to fear the Lord, to reverence and respect Him with complete awe, submitting to His will. How do we walk in His ways? This walk is not with our feet, but decision by decision in agreement with God’s way of approaching everything. To love God is to offer back to Him the best of ourselves, to reciprocate His love which was demonstrated by sacrificing His very best, His only Son, on the cross. We serve the Lord by using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us to be His hands and feet on the ground, His ambassadors to a lost and dying world.

How are we to do these things? With all your heart and soul . . . to me this means with every fiber of my being, with my entire essence. I am to reserve nothing for myself, to surrender all of me the One who created all. As Chris McClarney of Jesus Culture expressed it in song, “Everything and nothing less I give You.” Obedience, the requirements of God, are for our own good. Others may say that to us, but we can trust that God uses our compliance for our good because He is good and knows what is best for His children.

Gauge your own activity. Are you fearing, walking, loving and serving according to God’s will? What changes or adjustments do you need to make today?

Genesis 24:67 - BRIDEGROOM’S LOVE FOR BRIDE by Susan R. Slade

BRIDEGROOM’S LOVE FOR BRIDE

Genesis 24:67 (VOICE)

Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent.

He took her as his wife and slept with her, and grew to love her deeply.

In this way, Isaac found comfort in the wake of his mother’s death.

The first use of the word “love” in the Bible is the intense love of a father (Abraham) for his son (Isaac) which Abraham set aside because of his reverence and obedient, sacrificial love for his God. This foreshadowed God setting aside His love for His son in order for Jesus to become the sacrifice for our sins. The second use of love is the love of a bridegroom (Isaac) for his bride (Rebekah). This, too, is a foreshadowing.

The New Testament teaches that Jesus is the Bridegroom and we (the church and eventually the citizens of the New Jerusalem) are His bride. Jesus is the pattern for a husband’s love for his wife as we see in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” When asked why His disciples did not fast, Jesus referred to Himself as a bridegroom (Mark 2:18-20). The Apostle Paul expressed this idea of the Messianic Community, the body of believers, being the bride of Christ as well, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

The Bible describes many types of love—the love of a parent for children, the love between spouses, the love of dear friends—but Jesus embodies them all to overflowing. Love is given first place, the position of priority, in the list of the Fruit of the Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Pursue demonstrating love today. Love is a noun, but it is also a verb. Use it as a verb today. Love your spouse, love your child, love your family, love your neighbor, and don’t forget to love your enemy (Matthew 5:43-48).

2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-15 - ABUNDANT GRACE, ABOUNDING THANKS

ABUNDANT GRACE

ABOUNDING THANKS

We celebrate Thanksgiving Day later this month. To whom are we giving thanks, and why? Of course, we as believers are directing our gratitude to the Lord God Almighty. We may be thankful for many specific things this year—God’s provision in our finances, the Lord’s healing of a loved one, the safety of our military and first responders, a new life brought into our family, or God’s mercy in the homegoing of one of His saints. However, the primary point of Thanksgiving, our main focus, should be to express our gratitude for our Lord Jesus Christ, and His vicarious satisfaction of the Father’s holiness by dying in our place on the cross. We need to thank God that because of Jesus’s sacrifice of Himself, we experience atonement—the privilege of being one with the Lord as He prayed for us as our High Priest which is recorded in John chapter 17. Because we have been given the faith to believe and trust in this truth, we have the assurance that Jesus will come back for us so that “where He is, there we may be also” John 14:3 (personalized). This shout of thanksgiving should rise up from all believers in a resounding chorus bringing glory to our loving Father, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. We should use our voices as instruments or even megaphones of thanksgiving. As a once popular chorus said, “We’ve got so much, so much, so much to be thankful for!” This should be our theme on Thanksgiving Day and every other day of the year. If you belong to the family of God, join us in lifting your voice in praise and gratitude for all He has done for you. If you do not know yet know Jesus, please contact us via our website www.preciousjewelsministries.org and allow us the privilege of sharing more about Jesus with you! 

GENESIS 22:2 - THE FIRST USE OF "LOVE" by Susan R. Slade

The First Use of "Love"

The first mention of love in the Bible occurs in the passage concerning Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac. This is a foreshadowing or “type” of the heavenly Father’s sacrifice of His only begotten Son Jesus.

We are not told that Adam loved his wife or that Noah loved his children, although it could be argued that this unstated love was demonstrated. We are not even told that Sarah loved Abraham. It is fitting that the first mention of love in the Bible is a father’s love for his son. We begin to understand some basic concepts about love: 1) Abraham loved his son as a father should, 2) Obedience to God supersedes human love, 3) God loved Abraham and provided the ram to replace Isaac, 4) God loves humans enough to sacrifice His beloved Son, Jesus, 5) As God’s children we are to emulate His sacrificial love.

The first fruit of the Spirit is love. Loving as the Father has loved us. Self-sacrificing love for God and for people. This kind of love can only be cultivated in you if the Holy Spirit is flowing through you. Because Father God willingly offered His Son on the cross, those who believe are the beneficiaries of this tremendously selfless gift of love. Once we come to accept and embrace the love of God our Father, we are filled with His Holy Spirit who enables us to increasingly love others as Jesus first loved us.

Have you experienced the Father’s love? If you have, are you searching out ways to share this love God so graciously bestowed upon you with those within the sphere of your influence? Jesus freely gave His love. Freely give love to others.