COMMEMORATING THE COMING OF JESUS, THE
WORD OF GOD.
Matthew 2:
16 Then when Herod saw that he had
been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent
and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all
its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time
which he had determined from the magi.
Herod slaughtered innocent babies in an attempt
to make sure the Messiah was massacred. He taught he was a great
calculator but Herod could not fathom the depths of the LORD
Almighty who protects His own. Blood of innocent infants was shed
in a concerted effort to make sure that the Saviour and Redeemer
never lived to carry out the work of reconciling humanity to
God. No human being, however great he thought himself to be,
can thwart the Work of God.
Run to Jesus, even when they depict Him as “a
helpless and powerless baby” in the Nativity plays. He is the LORD
Almighty and the Light of the world. He is Emmanuel, God with us.
In Jesus, Yahweh (the LORD) is present, accessible, near to those
who call on Him for deliverance, forgiveness and
guidance.
“The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob
is our refuge” (Ps. 46:7). Yahweh Sebaoth. Yahweh as the LORD God
of hosts indicates God’s sovereign rule in every realm or kingdom
and, therefore, His ability to fulfil every promise because He is
the promise-fulfiller. “The LORD of hosts, He is the King of
Glory” (Ps.24:10) and he will never give His glory to any of His
creatures.
Our God is the LORD of celestial hosts. He
created all the angels in the heavens and they carry out His will
and purpose on our behalf. King Hezekiah and his people learned
that our God is the Commander-in-Chief of the heavenly armies and
He only needs one Angel to slay 185,000 Assyrian soldiers encamped
to kill the people of God. 2 Kings 19:35.
Our God is likewise the LORD of the astral hosts,
sun, moon and stars. They are His handiwork and having
created them, He controls them. Joshua realised this when he
prayed that sun and moon might stand still, that he might fight in
God’s cause and for God’s glory, and his prayer was answered.
Joshua 10.
Our God is also the Lord of all the animal hosts,
as Daniel experienced when God closed the lions’ mouths and then
opened them.
Our God is also the Lord of the birds of the sky
and sea monsters. His power brought birds and sea monsters and
whales into being and they willingly act as His messengers, as
Elijah discovered when the ravens fed him and Jonah also, when the
big fish swallowed him up and took him to the place where God sent
him.
Our God is Lord over all human hosts, and would
have us cease from fearing man, whose breath is in his nostrils.
David used this divine title in defying the Philistine. “You come
to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you
in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies
of Israel, whom you have taunted.” (1 Sam. 17:45).
As to all satanic hosts, is not God supreme in
this realm too? Who is the devil? Satan is only a dog on a
leash and cannot go any further than divine permission, as the God
of Job teaches.
As we celebrate Christmas and prepare to enter
the New Year, let us honour the One who makes it happen, “the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us,” and pray for His peace to reign
in this war-torn and fragmented world. Peace to you all.
YAHWEH SHALOM. Wishing you a joyous Christmas and a stress-free and
prosperous New Year.
THE
GREAT INVITATION
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light.
What is a yoke? Searching for the meaning of the word yoke, I
stumbled on a book, "Encyclopedia of Bible Life". I started reading
the entry on "Agriculture". I saw a picture of an animal, a mule,
plowing in the Jordan Valley with a yoke attached to its
neck.
"Yokes were simple wooden arches passed over the necks of the
animals and joined with a bar, to which was attached the center
pole reaching back to the plow. There was an art, that is, a
method, of making yokes that were easy, to lighten burdens. Jesus
and Joseph made comfortable ones in the shop at Nazareth. Hence
Jesus spoke as an expert when he taught, “Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. . . my yoke is
easy, and my burden light.”
What I am I to learn from Jesus? What is that He wants me to know
inwardly that will set me free. It is this: Only in the yoke of
total commitment of my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, to the
absolute sovereignty of God is there freedom and life. I cannot
save my life. You cannot save yourself. Jesus succinctly puts it in
this way in Matthew 10:39. “Those who find their life will lose it,
and those who lose their life for my sake will find it”.
The Word of God speaks to you right now. My friends, we are living
in troubled waters. There are people committing suicide: they
believe that doing that they will find rest for their souls. People
are turning to the bottles, hard drugs to find peace for their
inner, troubled world. Father God , teach us how to minister to
your people.
In the words of Augustine: OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS, O GOD, UNTIL
THEY REST IN THEE.
What solution does Jesus offer to those of us who are tired of
our disorganized, nauseating, energy-sapping, bogus lives? This is
the Great Invitation. "Come to Me, all who are weary and
heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and
learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and YOU WILL
FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is
light" (Matt. 11:28-30). He invites us to come and be His
disciples, to learn humility, gentleness and love because Jesus
Christ is an embodiment of those virtues.
Therefore, I propose to you that there is no peace, no rest, no
relief from all struggles of life and torments of souls except by
coming to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. JESUS CHRIST alone is the
answer to all of our struggles to survive the ups and downs in this
life.
Oftentimes, God uses disappointments, shattered relationships,
broken marriage, disaster, suffering , and even agonizing trouble
to break our arrogant spirits so that we can accept His great
unhindered invitation to become His disciples. Do not delay.
Accept the invitation. Put your trust in the LORD JESUS.
GOD HAS THE POWER TO INTERVENE IN OUR LIVES AND DELIVER US FROM
SITUATIONS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL. He did mine and am sooo
relieved. He will do yours too in His own time. And you will be
praising Him forever as I am doing every moment . . . .in my waking
hours, in my sleep, walking, driving, reading, studying, bathing.
Thank You, God.... Your praise shall continually be in my mouth.
HALLELUYAH
Praise for
the Lord’s Mercies.
Bless
the Lord, O my soul,
And
all that is within me, bless His holy
name.
Bless the Lord, O my
soul,
And forget
none of His benefits;
He pardons all my
iniquities,
He heals
all my diseases;
He redeems my life from the
pit,
He crowns
me with lovingkindness and compassion;
He satisfies my years with good
things,
So
that my strength is renewed like the
eagle.
The Lord performs righteous
deeds
And
judgments for all who are oppressed.
He made
known His ways to Moses,
His acts
to the sons of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate
and gracious,
Slow
to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
He will
not always strive with me,
Nor
will He keep His
anger forever.
He has not dealt with me according
to my sins,
Nor
rewarded me according to my iniquities.
For
as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So
great is His lovingkindness toward those who revere
Him.
As
far as the east is from the west,
So
far has He removed my transgressions from me.
Just as
a father has compassion
on his children,
So
the Lord has compassion on those who revere
Him.
For He
Himself knows my frame;
He is
mindful that I am but dust.
As
for man, his days are like grass;
As
a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
When
the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And
its place acknowledges it no longer.
But
the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting
to everlasting on those who revere Him,
And
His righteousness to children’s children,
To those
who keep His covenant
And
remember His precepts to do them.
The Lord has established
His throne in the heavens,
And
His sovereignty rules over all.
Bless
the Lord, you His angels,
Mighty
in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying
the voice of His word!
Bless
the Lord, all you His hosts,
You who
serve Him, doing His will.
Bless
the Lord, all you works of His,
In
all places of His dominion;
Bless
the Lord, O my soul! (Psalm 103. Adapted
translation)
PROPHETIC DECLARATION
You whom I have taken from the ends of the
earth,
And called from its remotest parts
And said to you, ‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and not rejected you.
‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
“Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed
and dishonored;
Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will
perish.
“You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find
them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
“For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your
right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help
you.’
(Isaiah 41:9-13 NASB)
There is none like the God of Jeshurun
Who rides the heavens to our help
And through the skies in His majesty
The eternal God is our dwelling place
And underneath are the everlasting arms
God Himself will drive out the enemy from before us
As He has said, “Destroy!”
So shall we all dwell in safety
The fountain of each family secluded
In a land of grain and new wine;
His heavens also drop down dew.
Blessed are we all . . . .
We are a people saved by the Lord
Our enemies will cringe before us
And we will tread upon their high places.
(My paraphrase of Deuteronomy 33:26-29)
