Carols - Away in a Manger

Jesus is Lord

December 15-22, 2013

Ephesians 6:12

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” 

There is a tendency for all of us to forget that the battles that we face day in and day out have much less to do with what we see than they do with the Spiritual realm.  This reality is reinforced by the Christmas story as told in Revelation chapter 12.   Given that the battle rages and that Satan is furious and has made war with those of us who hold to the commandments and to the testimony of Jesus (Rev 12:17), it is critical that we realize that we remember that Jesus has overcome, is overcoming and will ultimately overcome and set right all evil.

Is the spiritual view of the Christmas story new to you?  Does it impact your view of the Christmas story?  If so, How?

Have a great week!

Carols - O Come All Ye Faithful

There is hope in Christ, so come let us adore Him

December 8 - 15

We will examine this weeks carol in two distinct parts.  The first part is found in verses 2 and 4 of the carol and deals with the eternal nature of Jesus as God and the historical fact of His appearing in the flesh.

Verse 2

Highest, most holy, Light of light eternal,

Born of a virgin, A mortal he comes;

Son of the Father, Now in flesh appearing!

Verse 4

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born this happy morning;

Jesus, to thee be glory given!

Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing!

 ~ O Come All Ye Faithful

As I read these verses I think about the first verses in the books of John and 1 John.  These verses discuss the eternal and powerful nature of Jesus as well as His nature as a man.  He is "light of light eternal, Son of God" and when born He was also "in flesh appearing."  Hear the words of John:

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

John 1:14

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

Knowing that the Lord powerful and eternal came to redeem that which was lost, is a thought too beautiful to imagine.  Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrates His own love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  In order for Him to die, He had to come to His own and take on the nature of that which was created through, by and for Him (see Col 1:15-18).  This brings us to the second theme within this Carol, which is the only appropriate response to what He has done; praise and adoration of our Savior and Lord.

Verse 1

Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant!

Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him, Born the king of angels:

Verse 3

Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God, In the highest:

 ~ O Come All Ye Faithful

What will your response be this Christmas season to God now in flesh appearing?  Tell us about your response to what Christ has done.

Carols - O Holy Night

A Weary World and the Thrill of Hope

December 1 - 8

The Christmas season is one of the hardest times of the year for many.  It is a time when we are faced with the brokenness of relationships, or loved ones who are no longer with us.  There is so much hope in the carols that we sing.  However, they have become so familiar to us that we often miss the message that is contained within them, so this season we will be examining the some of the most popular carols that we sing.

O Holy Night is the first carol in this series.  In this carol we will examine the fact that Jesus enters into a weary world full of sin to bring the hope of restoration.  The world today also needs this message and the power of God in Christ Jesus to bring hope even to the most desperate.  In the book of Isaiah, the prophet foretells that the Messiah would be sent to bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners (Isaiah 61:1).  Jesus confirms this by His own words in Matthew 11:28-30, when He calls the weary and burdened to come to Him and He will give them rest.

The Scripture for this week is Luke 2:22-38, which recounts the story of several faithful servants of God who were waiting for the promised Messiah.  The situation in Israel was bleak.  There had not been a prophet for hundreds of years, they were under the oppression of Herod and poverty and despair were common.  I have been out in the streets several times over the last few days and I see a similar despair in the eyes of those around us today.  It is clear to me that the need for hope is just as prevalent today as when Jesus came to deliver hope and was found in a manger.  Jesus accomplished that for which He came and has delivered hope for all of us who believe.  Which makes me think of the following Scripture:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 

I challenge all of us this Christmas season to comfort all of those around us who are afflicted, weary, burdened and in need.  Will you pray with me that the Lord would open our eyes to the needs of those around us and give us the courage to be God's instrument of grace and love in their lives?

May the Lord be with you all!!!!

Geoff

Please feel free to comment, but I would especially love to hear stories in which you have been able to comfort those in need.  

Better is Wisdom - Compass for November 10, 2013

The Scriptures that really impacted me personally this week are the following:

Ephesians 1:15-23 (ESV)

¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 

Matthew 11:19 (NASB)

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Proverbs 11:30 (NASB)

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

And he who is wise wins souls.”

James 1:5 (ESV)

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Here is what I am wrestling as I read these verses:

I have always believed that the Lord has made me wise with regard to the Scriptures.  Yet as I read the Scriptures and see that wisdom is proven by her children or validated by her deeds, I am convicted that I am not as wise as I once thought.  Humility is a critical aspect of being used and it seems that Laura and I are going through a time in which the Spirit of the Living God is well pleased for us to say with John, we must decrease that he might increase in and through us.  It seems upon first glance that this is a burden, but I am finding that as we embrace humility, we find freedom.  Once we realize that we can not produce fruit within our character or by our own strength and that only the Lord produces righteousness, holiness and new disciples, we find true freedom in Christ.  I am learning that when Jesus said come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest, He is beaconing us to become tied to his yoke which he carries.  If we do this, the burdens are truly light not because the burdens are light, but because He is the one bearing the load that He calls us to carry.

There is hope.  How is the Lord working in you to either bring you to the cross and drop your burdens or to help you carry the burdens that He has called you to bear for His name?

May the Lord bless you this week.  May you become truly wise and your lives bear children and deeds revealing that you are truly wise,

Geoff

My brothers and sisters in the Lord, I have created this blog as a means through which we can engage not only in an systematic study of the Scriptures, but that we might also wrestle with how we ought to live in light of the truths that we find there.  Please engage with me in a manner in accordance with the following Scriptures ensuring that we are building each other up in the holy faith.

Ephesians 4:29-32

²⁹ Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ³² Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

May the Lord bless us all as we seek to know him and love him!  To God be the glory!!!!