12-24-05 Luke 2:15

Luke 2:15 (KJ21)
And it came to pass, when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us."

Luke 2:15 (NAS)
And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."

Luke 2:15 (NIVUS)
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

Luke 2:15 (NLT)
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us

Even if angels appear to you, giving you a message, it is wise for you to check it out. You should see if the words spoken to you are in line with God's word. You should also be peaceful about what was spoken and should not step out on a word unless you believe it is truly from Adonai.

These shepherds had beheld a great thing when the host of Heaven's angels appeared to herald the birth of our Savior. However, after the angels went away, the shepherds were quick to acknowledge that they needed to behold what God's messengers had proclaimed. Like any good shepherd, they needed to find out the Truth of what they had been told; so that they could protect and provide for the sheep in their charge.

It was actually to their advantage that they should go to the manger together; for their mutual experience would help strengthen their faith. It was also good for them to go quickly after they heard God's word, since that would prevent Satan, the enemy of faith, from deceiving them and stealing that word from them.

They traveled to Bethlehem, which means "house of bread"; it was a place of sustenance and life. The Lord God, the giver of life, chose this place for the birth of His Son. The shepherds desired to discover and perceive with their own eyes the marvelous things that they had been told. This did not show a lack of faith, but, in fact, was a validation of their faith. God's word is always strong enough to withstand the minutest scrutiny. The more knowledge one gains of God's word the more his faith grows.

The shepherds knew that the Most High had spoken to them and they stepped out on the faith of God's word. If they had not gone to Bethlehem, they may never have seen Jesus Christ, their Savior and Lord. So also it is with you. You must decide to quickly act on the word that God speaks to you. When you do that, you will always find yourself in a place of bread and provision. And you will behold the glory of the Lord!

12-23-05 Luke 2:13, 14

Luke 2:13, 14 (KJ21)
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, good will toward men!"

Luke 2:13, 14 (NAS)
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

Luke 2:13, 14 (NIVUS)
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:13, 14(NLT)
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

Have you ever been confronted with an angel? If not, can you imagine how you would feel and respond to such an unusual and awe inspiring event? Can you imagine how the shepherds felt on that wonderful night when the Lord Jesus was born? Perhaps they were just getting used to one angel, the messenger of God, speaking to them, when suddenly and unexpectedly something else happened. In a blink of an eye the one angel was joined by a multitude of the heavenly host; there were so many that the whole sky was filled with these glorious beings.

These servants of the Most High appeared to praise, extol, and honor God. Over and over they proclaimed His greatness; they lauded and affirmed that Adonai's will had been accomplished in the earth. The Lord God allowed them to speak forth His promise. They cried, "Glory to God in the Highest." They knew God's splendor, excellence, and majesty and they freely proclaimed that to men.

Even though God is the Supreme Ruler of the earth, the angels spoke to the shepherds of God's heart towards mankind. They declared the peace that had come through the birth of the Savior. He came to bring salvation and tranquility to the souls of men. Through the Lord, men could have security, safety, prosperity, and joy. This multitude spoke of God's good will towards men. They knew that the Heavenly Father did not extend ill will, but goodness, kindness, and benevolence to those of the earth.

When you chose Yeshua as your Messiah and Jesus as your Lord, you became a partaker of Adonai's good will that the angels declared. You need not fear God's wrath, for He is satisfied and takes pleasure in you. He wants you to fare well and prosper. And that is good news!

12/22/05 Luke 2:10, 11

Luke 2:10,11(KJV)
And the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10,11(NAS)
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10,11(NIVUS)
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10,11(NLT)
but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!

How many births are announced with messenger angels from Adonai, the Most High? I would say very few; in fact, I only know of One who warranted such honor and attention.
In this instance, He sent His messenger angels to proclaim the birth of Someone who would change the world forever, Someone who would lead men out of darkness and into the light!

The first thing that the angels told those shepherds so very long ago was that they should not fear. They did not need to be seized with alarm and run away. The angels knew that the shepherds were about to behold an awesome thing; for they had come to announce good news and glad tidings which would reveal God's kindness extended to men. A time had come for men to begin to fare well and prosper. It was something that was going to bring great joy and gladness to all men.

The angels came to announce the birth of the Son of the King! Adonai chose Bethlehem, the city of David, His beloved, for the birth of His beloved Son, the One who is the Savior, Deliverer, and Preserver. Jesus Christ, the Anointed Messiah of God, had come to save and rescue mankind from sin. Danger and destruction no longer existed for those who put their faith and trust in Him. The suffering of disease and judgment had been vanquished through the Lord's birth, death, and resurrection. He brought us healing and health, restoration and wealth.

Truly He is the Lord Most High and worthy of our praise and adoration!

12-21-05 Isaiah 22:22

Isaiah 22:22 (KJ21)
And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open and none shall shut, and he shall shut and none shall open.

Isaiah 22:22 (NAS)
Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open.

Isaiah 22:22 (NIVUS)
I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

Isaiah 22:22 (NLT)
I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. He will open doors, and no one will be able to shut them; he will close doors, and no one will be able to open them.

We all have keys--house keys, car keys, office keys, or even mailbox keys. Without these keys we would not be able to get to those things and areas that are valuable to us. Our keys also help to protect us from the forces of evil. Keys, even though they are small and insignificant in themselves, are important to the maintainence of our lives.

Adonai, the Almighty, also has keys and, like your own keys, not just anyone has easy access to them. Also like you, the Father has given the Son the key to His house. The Son is able to go in and out as the need arises; He also has the authority to invite friends and acquaintances to visit His home or even to live there.
It is Jehovah's responsibility to build up His Father's house and family. He is the One who establishes new members in the family and gives them access to His Father's house and kingdom.

Yeshua has opened the doors of His house to you and He has given you freedom. He has loosened the bonds of wickedness in your life. He has shut out these same wicked ones and you are delivered from them. In fact, those that originally had you bound are now in bondage themselves; for the Lord God has shut and locked them away. The prison guards that had you locked away are now imprisoned themselves.

Others may try to open doors that only the Lord can open, but they cannot; for He is the only one with the key. They may even try to shut away the blessing that God has ordained for you, but that too will prove futile. The Lord is the only One who can open doors for you and those doors will always remain open to you. Noone can shut them. And since He knows what is best for you, He will shut doors that neither you nor anyone else can open; for He is the only One with the key!

12/20/05 Philippians 3:3

Philippians 3:3 (KJ21)
For we are the Circumcision who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh—

Philippians 3:3 (NIVUS)
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

Philippians 3:3 (NAS)
for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Philippians 3:3 (NLT)
For we who worship God in the Spirit are the only ones who are truly circumcised. We put no confidence in human effort. Instead, we boast about what Christ Jesus has done for us.

Adonai called the patriarch Abraham to leave his family and to go to another land, which is known today as Israel. Circumcision was instituted to show that Abraham and his clan belonged to the One True God. It was an outward sign of an inward faith.

You, as a child of God and a member of the Lord's Church, have been spiritually circumcised. You have been separated from the unclean multitude of people and have been totally consecrated to God. The Lord has circumcised your heart, cutting away impurities and removing sins.

You are now the Almighty's servant, one who has given himself to worship. Your first and foremost wish is to minister for and to the Lord. Through the breath of His Holy Spirit, you offer gifts of praise to the Most High God. You glory, boast, and rejoice in the One who has saved you from your sins--Jesus Christ, the Anointed of God. Through His power and might, Yeshua, the Lord, upholds and preserves the universe that He created.

As your relationship with the Lord Jehovah grows, you learn that you cannot trust or put confidence in your flesh, the part of you that is still influenced by the sin in the world. You no longer exist merely as a fleshly human being, but your citizenship is now in Heaven, the realm of God. That is now where you put your trust and confidence. You hope in the salvation that Jesus bought for you. You wait patiently and expectantly for its total manifestation in your life; for you have been circumcised by His Spirit and His word.

12-19-05 John 8:42

John 8:42 (KJ21)
Jesus said unto them, "If God were your Father, ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me.

John 8:42 (NIVUS)
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.

John 8:42 (NAS)
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.

John 8:42 (NLT)
Jesus told them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.

Belief in God or a "god" is an almost universal concept around the world. Most people believe in a higher power; however, most people do not believe in a God, who is loving and merciful. According to the majority, you have to be good enough to enter into the presence of God; you have to do enough good works to be counted worthy. This "god" is not the One True God, but an invention of man's imagination.

Adonai, the Almighty, is the One True God and He is the Father of all. He is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe; He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. Jesus Christ, Yeshua, the Messiah, is the only begotten Son of the Most High.

It is the belief in the Son which causes the most controversy in religion; for people are not willing to admit that He is the Lord and Savior of the world. Instead of accepting His Lordship, many people desire to find their own ways to heaven.

Jesus, Himself, declared that Adonai was His Father, which challenged the faith of those who insisted that they believed in the Father. These same "believers" refused and rejected Jesus. Though they proclaimed to love God, they did not love His Son. They did not believe that He came from God and that He was and is God. In this, they cut themselves off from intimacy with the One they desired.

You, however, have come into a saving knowledge of Jesus, which means "Jehovah is salvation." You have recognized that He is the only way for you to ultimately go to heaven, to live with Adonai forever. You know that Yeshua has always existed with God the Father, as the Word of God. You accept the fact that He came to earth to bring you salvation and redemption from your sins. He came to seek intimacy with you and when you accepted His intimate advances, you chose to follow Him in Truth.

Yeshua came not just of His own accord and will; He was sent and came in response to His Father's will and desire. He separated Himself from the One He loved to come to us and to many who would never love and accept Him. He came to set in order the world that mankind had brought into chaos through their sin. He brought salvation, deliverance, and victory over that sin, through His own sacrificial death and we should be eternally grateful.

12-18-05 1 Peter 1:8

1 Peter 1:8 (KJ21)
whom having not seen, ye love. In Him, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,

1 Peter 1:8 (NAS)
and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory

1 Peter 1:8 (NIVUS)
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy

1 Peter 1:8 (NLT)
You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

Faith is a concept that sometimes is difficult to explain, especially when you are speaking about deity. Many others may think you are foolish to believe; for they have never experienced what you have. Yes, you have never seen nor perceived Adonai, the Almighty God, with your physical eyes, but the Lord has opened your spiritual eyes to begin to see the majesty and glory that is your God.

What you have come to understand about God has opened your heart to love Him. You have begun to see His goodness and kindness; you have only started to experience His love and His mercy. His facets and characteristics are as infinite as the realm in which He exists. And as you become more intimately acquainted with Him, your fondness and affections grow. He gives you pleasure and has made you content.

You now know that your belief in Jehovah the Lord is based on the Truth. You are certainly persuaded that He exists as the Creator and Ruler of all things. You have put your trust and confidence in Him and have not been disappointed. You have entrusted your life into His hands and He has proved faithful in saving and keeping you. In Jesus Christ, you are well and thrive.

You now have joy which springs up and gushes out of you like a flood of water; for the Lord your God has caused you to be exceedingly glad. This joy is something that you cannot easily describe or define; sometimes it simply leaves you speechless. You have seen the glory and splendor of God and you can only extol, praise, and honor Him.