The Birth

 The Birth

In Luke’s gospel we read,

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  

And everyone went to his own town to register. 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-7.

The apostle John’s gospel put it this way,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

     In him was life, and that life was the light of men....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1-4,14.

John here refers to Jesus as “the Word”. He also makes it clear that “the Word” was in the beginning with God and made the universe and everything in it.

He also makes it clear that “the Word” became flesh. God became incarnate. 

This Child of Mary’s is God in the flesh. As far as I know there is no other religion in the world that claims their founder to be God incarnate.

If you think about it. It is an incredible thing to believe God entered the world that He created. To experience all that it is to be a human being.

Jesus during his life would experience first hand what it was like to feel rain against His face. To experience the love of friends and family. 

Jesus would also know what it is like to be put on trial for a crime He did not commit. To be beaten and put to death in a most hideous way.

Jesus experienced all that it was to be human. Which is why I believe we can never tell Him on the day of judgement that He doesn’t understand what it is to be human. Because He does. 

The question I have for you today however is; Do you believe that Jesus is the creator of the World. God in the flesh. The Saviour of all who would believe in Him?

Please think about it.

The Annunciation

 The annunciation 

In the book of Luke we read,

“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.  

The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." 

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.   But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God.  

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God" Luke 1:26-32.

There are many things reported in the New Testament that if not true would be detrimental to Christianity. This is one of them.

Why would a follower of Christ Jesus, in this case Luke. Ever want to put Mary’s meeting with the angel Gabriel in his gospel if it were not true. Meeting with angels can seem farfetched. So it is obvious that Luke believed that the angel Gabriel met with Mary.

And notice what the angel said about Jesus,

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God”.

Throughout the New Testament scriptures we read of many who knew Jesus calling Him the Christ. One good example is when Jesus was talking to a woman named Martha. Jesus asked,

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes Lord" she told Him, "I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world," John 11:25,26,27.

The question for you dear reader is this. Do you believe the words of the angel Gabriel as well as the words of Martha? 

Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, The Son of God?

Please think about it.

The light of the world

  The light of the world

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12.

Jesus here claims to be “the light of the world”. 

Stating that “whoever follows him will never walk in darkness but have the light of life”.

Jesus did make some very powerful statements about Himself.

Earlier John’s gospel records Him as saying,

"Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.  

But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.  

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  

For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.  

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.  

For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:35-40

Jesus speaking of Himself in John chapter three  states,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16,17. 

The soul purpose of Jesus coming to this earth is to light the way to heaven and life eternal.

Do you believe in Jesus? 

Do you believe He gives life eternal to all who believe in Him?

Please think about it.

Are you saved?

 Are you saved?

The apostle Paul writes,

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ 

   Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."1Timothy 1:15,16.

Here the apostle Paul tells us why Jesus came to this earth. To save sinners. That means everyone. Paul writing to the Romans states,

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23.

The apostle John telling us,

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1John 1:9-10.

God’s gift of salvation is a free gift based on our faith in Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul writing,

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:12,13.

So my question to you dear reader is, Have you called on the name of The Lord? Are you saved?

Please think about it.

Is Jesus the Christ?

  Is Jesus the Christ?

In Mark’s gospel we read,

“Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ.'”Mark 8:27-29.

It is clear from this portion of scripture that the disciples. Men who knew Jesus intimately. Men who witnessed all that He did, believed Jesus to be the Messiah.

This was something Jesus never shied away from. 

In John’s gospel we read,

"My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.  

I and the Father are one." 

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." John 10:24-33.

Notice here that Jesus even when threatened with being stoned to death never denied He was one with the Father.

As we approach Christmas this is something we need to decide for ourselves. Thus the choice is yours. Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah or not.

Please think about it.

Call on the name of The Lord

 Call on the name of The Lord

The apostle Paul writes,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

and are justified freely by his grace 

through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  

                                                                      Romans 3:23,24.

Paul goes on to write,

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.    Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!  

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  

Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" Romans 5:6-11.

We all have sinned in one way or another. Sin is falling short of Gods ideal for our life. Sin separates us from God, and no matter how hard we work at trying to be good, our good works cannot reconcile us to God.

In the book of Ephesians we read,

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9.

Salvation is a gift freely offered by God to us through belief in Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul writing,

“...Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

 will be saved.” 

                                     Romans 10:13.

Have you called on the name of the Lord?

Please think about it. 

Ambassadors for Christ

 Ambassadors for Christ.

The apostle Paul also wrote,

  “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians5:20.

I think that many Christians overlook this verse of scripture. They forget that we are Christ’s ambassadors. An ambassador is diplomatic. 

The Oxford dictionary defines an ambassador as, “a diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country.”

An ambassador does not try and impose their will or the will of their country on another country. They simply present what their country believes. 

This is how we as Christians, as true believers in Christ Jesus need to be aware of. We are to present to the world around us what we believe. Leaving it to the people listening to them to decide for themselves if what is being said is true or false.

Question; If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, are you a good ambassador for Him?

Please think about it.

 God’s fingerprints

The Psalmist wrote,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 

                                                                                  Psalm 19:1-3.

I firmly believe that science done right will point to the fact the universe and everything in it was created by God.

Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics

"Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with a very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural') plan." Dr. Arno Penzias

William Philips another Nobel prize winner in physics said,

“I believe in God more because of science than in spite of it" William Philips Nobel prize winning Physicist.

The way I look at it. When I see everything, from the smallest subatomic particle to the greatest galaxy. I see a universe that is designed specifically for us. Even Stephen Hawing said, 

Stephen Hawking 

"It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us," Stephen Hawking.

God’s finger prints can be seen throughout creation. It’s just a matter of honestly looking for Him.

So my question to you dear reader, are you sincerely looking for God?

Please think about it.

My hope is in God

 My hope is in God

In the book of Lamentations we read,

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

"The LORD is my portion" says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him"Lamentations 3:22-24.

Is your hope in God? Can you say with the author of Lamentations “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases?

Is your hope truly in God, or is it in your own strength, or your wealth or some other thing?

Can you truly say “my hope is in God”?

Please think about it.

So what do you believe?

  So what do you believe?

The Psalmist writes,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language 

where their voice is not heard." 

                                                   Psalm 19:1-3.

William Philips said,

“I believe in God more because of science than in spite of it" William Philips Nobel prize winning Physicist.

Werner Heisenberg said,

“The first gulp from the glass of natural science will make you an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you" Werner Heisenberg father of Quantum Mechanics Nobel prize in physics

Even Stephen Hawking noted,

"It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us," Stephen Hawking.

These are men far better educated than me. Yet they all point out that Science points us to God.

So what do you believe?

 Your bet

The Psalmist writes,

"The fool says in his heart, 

"There is no God." 

                                        Psalm 14:1

The apostle Paul writes,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, 

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 

                                                                                                1 Corinthians 1:18.

Do you believe in God? Many refuse to believe in God because He doesn’t conform to their way of thinking. They don’t believe that God could enter into His creation in the form of Christ Jesus. They don’t believe that God would allow Jesus to be crucified for the sins of the world. 

Many simply don’t believe in God because they can’t see Him face to face. They fail to see God in the creation around them.

The Psalmist writes,

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

 the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

                                                             Psalm 19:1.

Blaise Pascal wrote,

“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.” Blaise Pascal.

So are you willing to bet there is a God?

Please think about it.

An Important choice

 An important choice

In Luke’s gospel we read,

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 

But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?  

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'" 

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43.

These two criminals had the same choice to make as you or I. We can call on Jesus to make himself known by doing something for us. Or we can believe that He is the Son of God the Saviour of the world, confess our sins directly to Him and be forgiven.

The apostle Paul tells us,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  Romans 3:23,24.

So have you received God’s saving grace that comes through Jesus Christ?

Please think about it.