1 John 4:4 ~ In the Christmas Season! (Tthe Magi haven't arrived) †

 

1 John 4:4

He who is in you 

is greater 

than he who is in the world.

God has proven, with the homebody Shepherds, He gives gifts enabling us to fulfill His Purpose. All things work together for those who Love the Lord, and work according to His Purpose. We wonder what this means in our lives today.

Shepherds are not known to leave the flock and wander off to another town. God gave the Shepherds two by two and more of Noah and the Ark. And God supplied their every need to fulfill this Purpose to find the Messiah Baby and tell of His Glory. You can be assured the majority of the Shepherds didn't expect to greet the Baby Messiah that first Christmas morning. 

Mary didn't intend, that morning, to meet and to follow Gabriel to do God's will. God gave gifts enabling her to fulfill her unique purpose to God.

  

 

Isaiah 7 tells us Israel / Judea would be farmers and producers of livestock when Jesus arrived. And surely - the first  to be told of God's Good Pleasure - were the Shepherds.

Mary was given Great Joy to ponder as God sent more News of His Favor.

John calls God the God of Love. 

We should always recognize, like the Shepherds, God's good provision.

Taking time to realize our Blessings in 2022!


And all of these people did provide support to Jesus - Mary, Joseph - yet we must recognize what God gave all of these people - as they gathered - pleasing Father God was this:

Belief
Encouragement
Care
Seeking God first

And none of these people was the Savior except Jesus.

Father God had given Amazing Greetings, Blessings and Announcements for those who for millenniums had hungered and thirsted for righteousness. Blessed where the eyes to behold the salvation of Jesus Christ, Son of God.

God was making the Word of God Manifest.

Life
Light
The Will of God
Glory, Glory as of the only Son from the Father
Full of Grace and Truth

Even as just a tiny, infant Jesus is giving to  these fully grown adults - 

for from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Father God has provided for them. And yet the Joy of the Lord is their Strength. God placed two small individuals upon the 69 kilometer journey to Bethlehem. They were simply following what those in power told them to do. The powerful were taking a census - for their glorification in taxation, in sheer numbers, in being able to conscribe into the armed forces. And as 'the powerful' did power - the Will of God was truly being accomplished yesterday, today and tomorrow.

By individuals trusting in Jesus, Abba and the Holy Spirit. And the Light came into the World. Bringing the first Christmas into this Christmas.  Teaching us where we will rely and draw upon strength.

Abba, Father,

This is our day to say

Thank You, Abba, Father, 

for Jesus.

Thank You, His birth

is Your trust and love for

the Light shining in mankind.

In all our seasons,

we trust in You.

Pray for Peace 

world wide.

We pray for peace. 

And recovery.

Renewal.

Heart.

Love.

Kindness.

Mercy for the merciful.

Jesus has arrived from His Father's Kingdom

To live Joy.

Help us recover our Joy

see our Blessings

and be merciful.

Fill Your Good Creation

with positive, open hearts,

end the great cold.

We lift up

Love

Joy

Hope

and Peace

and put Jesus,

His Highest Name

upon all of us

looking to Jesus.

Abba, sending us His own Son.

Thank You, Jesus.

Amen.

We Pray for Merry Christmas 

across the Nation 

and Believing World. 

The Light of Christ Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

Psalm 130 ~ Plentiful redemption

 

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!

2 O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness,

that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in His word I hope;

6 my soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!

For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

and with Him is plentiful redemption.

8 And He will redeem Israel

from all his iniquities!

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. 

We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, 

who came from the Father,

 full of grace and truth.

Romans 3:24

And all are justified freely by his grace 

through the redemption that came 

by Christ Jesus.

Luke 2:38

Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God

 and spoke about the child 

to all who were looking forward 

to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Psalms 130:7

Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with 

the LORD is unfailing love 

and 

with Him is full redemption.

2 Peter 3:18

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

To Him be glory both now and forever! 

Amen.

Mark 10:32

They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, 

and Jesus was walking ahead of them. 

The disciples were filled with awe

Luke 2:14-18

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem 

and see this thing that has happened, 

which the Lord has made known to us.” 

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby 

lying in a manger.

 And when they saw it, they made known the saying 

that had been told them concerning this child. 

And all who heard it wondered

Luke 2:26-29

And it had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 

And he came in the Spirit into the temple, 

and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, 

to do for him according to the custom of the Law

 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

    according to Your word;

for my eyes have seen 

Your Salvation

that You have prepared 

in the presence of all peoples,

a Light for revelation to the Gentiles,

    

And for Glory 

to your people 

Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother 

marveled 

at what was said 

about Him.

Abba, Father,

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

    in the house of his servant David

As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old,

that we should be saved from our enemies

    and from the hand of all who hate us;

to show the mercy promised to our fathers

    and to remember His Holy Covenant

The oath that He swore to our father Abraham, 

to grant us

    that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

might serve Him without fear

    In holiness and righteousness before Him

 all our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

    for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,

to give knowledge of salvation to His people

    in the forgiveness of their sins,

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.

Blessed be the Highest Name 

of Jesus Christ

Bless the Holy Spirit as the 

Light of mankind

Light of the Nations

Light of Heaven

Blessed be our Father 

bringing us His exact nature

in Jesus Christ,

Lamb of God

Savior of the world

Forever

and ever.

Alleluia Amen!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

Revelation 4:5-11 ~ You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being

  

Revelation 4:5-11

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

in the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11“You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they were created

and have their being.”

When we want to be close to Abba, our Father, how can we understand or grasp what is so far from our lives now? What is the Lord thinking of when He tells us about His Home? For now, we know in part, and one day we will see through to God's Kingdom. All knees bow to Jesus, His Son, our Savior.

Why? Aslan is not a tame lion, He's good, I tell you.

God travels in more time, knows the Host of Heavens, creates and understands more mysteries, more layers, more of vast Histories and all the days to come.  Abba understands the dark and sees perfectly past this. He deals with All. Just as His Salvation is His work.

Romans 11

  23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,

    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

27 “and this will be my covenant with them

    when I take away their sins.”

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Does this yet explain His Kingdom to us and His messengers and companions?

Almost!

Romans 11

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable are His Judgments and how inscrutable His Ways!

34 “For who has known the Mind of the Lord,

    or who has been His counselor?”

35 “Or who has given a gift to Him

    that He might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through Him and to Him are all things. 

To him be glory forever. Amen.

His angels, stand in His Presence

We learn from His Word from Archangel Gabriel.

They do not kneel (all the time), they are not prostrate on the floor, they are not lounging on prayer mats. They stand. God wants them to be strong.

Luke's Gospel, Chapter 1, we find two reactions to Gabriel, who is apparently not what Ezekiel and Revelation, John, saw. We find fear, the usual reaction, and then we find Mary, 10 Talents Mary, she expects the Lord to be Loving and Good. Gabriel greets her with Kairos, Greek for Joy. God, our Abba, expects to find Mary joyful. I love Mary, she is so very human, she decides she is fearful even if Zechariah and Elizabeth are well and fine. Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God, comforts her. God of Love. God of Encouragement. Her Joy returns, and her acceptance of Her Maker is Kind and Loving in return.

7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever

Lions 

Line the thrones of David and Solomon. Lions announce overcoming. And Protection. If we encounter a Lion, the Lion will have all of our attention. If we are safe, we delight in Lions. The Bold in and of Scriptures, are not worried about Lions. Consider all the levels Scriptures portray Lions. These are the levels of Father of ALL.

Mark 16:15

 

And He said to them, “Go into all the world 

and proclaim the gospel to the whole (or all of) creation."

An Ox

We are instructed is to be blessed to be included in all the good share. Diligent to work. Included by the Lord. During His Promise to Noah and the animals.  The third is like a man, the humility of God's kindness that He considers us.  

Eagle, how swiftly they fly. What they can see. An Eagle would have to be able to see a trout from airplane height. God has one as a companion, by His Delight. The vision of seeing so many layers. 

Mankind

The companions of God. Seeing as He sees. His chosen companions. Beloved. Beloved. Beloved.

The shepherds of the Bethlehem field, they weren't the lowest. The worst. No, we understand Barabbas was a thief. These shepherds are noble. Samuel traversed easily with David's father Jesse. Saul was chosen from a Shepherd family, as well. This is community work and reward is from generations of learning. Mary tells us in Luke 1, this isn't the blessed financially, but the rich spiritually.  The Shepherds weren't traveling to Bethlehem, their journey was on the path. Rich in His ways.

These group of faithfully raised, generational shepherds meet the Heavenly Host and they are - bodily afraid. Sore afraid. As if in a car wreck, later we ache from having been so tense. Blood vessels break even without impact. The sore afraid can make us hurt for weeks even after the injuries heal.  Only the fear has created damage. 

Why would God want us to have fear? Hebrews says Yar, Reverence. Layers of meaning, time, language, Words of God. 

Romans 11

22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

God tells us change is possible with Him. God knows the stars and the Book of Life. Change is very possible with God. Likely!

Would God consider Himself severe? No, probably not. Jesus tells us Abba understands we see Him as a wicked Judge. And God tells us how to work around our small understanding. God of Love. God of Encouragement.

The Curtain surrounding God's Mercy Seat we call the Ark of the Covenant. Actually, a seat welcoming the Presence of God.

a lion, the second was like an ox, 

the third had a face like a man, 

the fourth was like a flying eagle

Abba, Father,

You see all of us. All of us.

You know, no secrets are hid,

all desires known.

Turn to us with Your Love

and Mercy

and we are Renewed.

Awakened to the Hope in Your Glory.

Dwell in us.

Dwell in those we Love.

Help us to seek You first.

And in Jesus, we will finish well.

Thank You for the Blessings You have given us to count

this year. 

Thank You, You create a new path

with new hopes

and new expectations.

We are renewed in Our Love

You Place in Us.

In Jesus Christ,

We pray for Your Good Creation.

This Nation

and all Nations seeking Your Son.

We pray good health and 

good new year for Damar Hamlin

Thank You, You Hear our Prayers.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †