Luke 2 ~ My eyes have seen

When the Heavenly Host appears

the Bethlehem Field of the Shepherds is kept

for:

The Lord, 

many, many people

and the Shepherds

Luke 2

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 

2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, 

keeping watch over their flock by night. 

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

 Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

15 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.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 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, 28 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.

34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.


41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Abba,Father

We ask Your blessings. 

May Our Father turn HIS face to the righteous

with compassion. 

And we rejoice, knowing Father God hears and answers. 

Thankful for the day and more and better to arrive.

Asking God to bless our Loved ones 

and

 our Nation Trusting in Him.

 For All of God's Beloved around the earth.

Please pray for the healing of so many people and situations.

For Jesus blessing upon 

His Children as we Pray 

The Lord's Prayer and ask more Heaven on earth.

 Thank You, Father God. Amen in Jesus Christ.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Ephesians 4:11-15 ~ building up

 

Ephesians 4:11-15

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

to equip the saints for the work of ministry,

for building up the body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of the faith

and of the knowledge of the Son of God,

to mature manhood,

to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Rather, speaking the truth in love,

we are to grow up in every way into Him Who is the Head, into Christ.

To understand the Fullness of God
we find God will:

Give,
Equip,
Grow!

Creating a unity in the faith

To maturity from speaking the truth with Love.

Grow in every way.


God is giving us a Purpose statement of Life.
                 To know the fullness of God.

A God Given Purpose Statement. Filled with Grace and Mercy and Graciousness; God does not say rudely to, "mature." Instead, we find Scripture emphasizes the placement of His ideas, the working of God for our growth. Billy Graham said with such joy, "I've read the last page of the Bible, it is going to turn out alright." Our Father, the Almighty God, never tells anyone, like Gideon, to quit asking, stop talking, and do the last paragraph of the Chapter.  Each year, we are entrusted with God's Only Son as an infant. God has the Church year work each verse of His Word.  We live by every Word of God.

Our Father God is an Awesome God.

Abba, Father,

Each day we rise to find Your willing Blessings.

The Blessings given to us to see in those we Love.

God is blessing our nation. The people seeking Jesus first.

Thank Jesus. Amen.

We pray 

to rise

 to shine for Your Glory.

In the Name of Jesus Christ,

Your Son.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus 

Hebrews 3:14 ~ For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end

Hebrews 3:14

For we have come to share in Christ, 

if indeed we hold our original confidence 

firm to the end.

And wouldn't The Blues Brother say the same thing? 

1 Thessalonians 3:6-8

Now that Timothy has come to us 

from you, 

and has brought us the good news of your 

faith and love 

and reported that you always remember us kindly 

and long to see us, 

as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers, 

in all our distress and affliction 

we have been comforted about you through your faith. 

For now 

we live,

 if you are standing fast in the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17

So then, brothers, stand firm 

and hold to the traditions

 that you were taught by us, 

either by our spoken word or by our letter.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ 

Himself, 

and God our Father, 

Who loved us 

and 

gave us eternal comfort 

and 

good hope 

through grace, 

comfort your hearts 

and 

establish them 

in every good work 

and word

I was reading last year's post about the somber faces at Christmas. Last year the children were happy and the adults glum. This year we've seen a few. But really, over all, people have HOPE.  The grumpy and the malingerers, are malingering, and this is what Bob Cratchit and Ebenezer Scrooge's nephew Fred wait to see.

In the Christmas Story, God has set all of the Scriptures to strive towards - - The Lord God Almighty entrusts us, again, with the hope His Only Son, a human and frail infant, will be tenderly loved. 

Bob Cratchit and Ebenezer's nephew Fred are truly Jesus, waiting to see those around Him grow towards warm hearts. To bloom where planted. To bring more Heaven to earth to do His Good Will.

Consider the outline of Fred's quotes:

• "I'll keep my Christmas humour to the last"
• "I mean to give him the same chance every year, whether he likes it or not."
• "I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time… as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time… the only time… when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely"
• "Let him in!"
• "Merry Christmas, Uncle!"

Abba, Father,

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, 

stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to Agree in the Lord. 

Yes, I ask you also, true companion, 

help these women, 

who have labored side by side with me 

in the gospel 

together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, 
whose names are in the Book of Life.

Rejoice in the Lord always; 

again I will say, 

Rejoice. 

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. 

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 

but in everything by prayer and supplication 

with thanksgiving 

let your requests 

be made known to God. 

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, whatever is true, 
whatever is honorable, 

whatever is just, 

whatever is pure, 

whatever is lovely, 

whatever is commendable, 

if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, 

think about these things. 

What you have learned and received and heard and seen

—practice these things, 

and the God of peace will be with you.

We will learn each day in Advent

to prepare

our hearts

to have Jesus dwell there.

And our preparations for Christmas

will be calm and Joyful.

Learning to keep Christmas in

our hearts

every day.

And in doing so,

not to have Holiday Hangover,

Languish of Lallydoogle Christmas.

Instead 

The Joy of The Birth of Jesus Christ

in our Hearts

every day.

To be the one

Praying more Heaven on earth

Seeing more Heaven on earth

Being more Heaven on earth

and daily expecting

He Loadeth us with His Benefits,

for our Thanksgiving

in His Glory.

Jesus covering all the believers of the world. 

Jesus guiding the Nation 

and nations trusting in Him.

Alleluia, 

we are the people of Jesus. 

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus

You are God