JESUS’ FEET
They’ve been wept over, prayed over, sat before, fallen before, bathed in tears, bathed in precious perfume, smothered in kisses, patted dry with hair, and hammered through with a crude nail. They are Jesus’ feet, the most famous feet in all of human history.
But even before his birth, scripture was extolling Jesus’ feet: (more…)
WHO ARE THOSE SHEPHERDS?
The night of Jesus’ birth was a very special night, perhaps the most special night that ever was. On what other night did an angel of the Lord appear to shepherds not while they were at worship but while they were at work, watching over their sheep? On what other night did an angel of the Lord herald the news of the actual birth of the Messiah – the eternal king of all creation – who could be found not in a palace clothed in purple silk and attended by maids and courtiers but in a stable swaddled in rough cloth and attended by cows? On what other night did those shepherds, half in fear and half in elation, hastily corral their flock and hurry into Bethlehem to see the newborn king?
No other night before or since has been as special as that one night when the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and gave them the long-awaited good news. The birth of the Messiah was revolutionary enough in Roman-occupied Israel, but even more revolutionary was the directive that these “good tidings of great joy” should be for ALL PEOPLE, not just the children of Abraham.
God does nothing by half or without a purpose. Those shepherds were chosen for their faith and their profession. God knew each and every one of them and designated them to be both the witnesses and the messengers of his holy messenger’s message. What previously had been told only to Mary and Joseph (and known supernaturally by Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mom) was told to the shepherds on that very special night, and the shepherds then, after they had seen Jesus for themselves, told everyone who would listen.
Who are those shepherds, the ones very carefully chosen by God to bring the good news of the birth of the Messiah to all people? We never hear of them again in scripture, or do we?
Just before he ascended to Heaven, Jesus directed Peter, the fisherman, to feed his sheep and his lambs. We know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that we are to follow him in everything he does. Jesus was directing Peter to take on his role – that of a good shepherd. Not as one that is hired to look after sheep for a fee, but as one who owns the sheep and guards them with his life. The shepherds abiding in the field on that most special of all nights were such shepherds, just as Jesus was, spiritually, and just as Peter became, spiritually.
Who are those shepherds?
WE ARE THOSE SHEPHERDS.
We have been carefully chosen by God, through Jesus, and have been told and seen for ourselves that Jesus is the Messiah. We are telling the world that the long-awaited savior has come and that his name is Jesus and that Jesus is King. And just like our spiritual brethren, the shepherds and Peter, we have been given the directive to watch over and feed our sheep and our lambs – that is, those who follow Jesus, as well as those who are learning to follow Jesus, and those who are going or have gone astray.
WE ARE THOSE SHEPHERDS. The message from God’s holy angel all those years ago was meant for us, just as Jesus’ directive to Peter was meant for us. Jesus is the Messiah and savior of ALL PEOPLE, and we are to feed his sheep and lambs with his Word and to guard their spiritual well-being with our lives.
Merry Christmas to you all!
HALLELUJAH, and PRAISE THE LORD!
BONFIRE OF THE SPIRITUAL SUNDAY BEST
One of the things I admire most about Jesus is that he’s real. I don’t mean “real” as in not fictional, but real as in genuine. He didn’t put on an act when he taught in the synagogues or explained scripture to his disciples in private. He was always the same Jesus, speaking from the heart. No BS. Not like the Pharisees and Sadducees who put on special airs along with their special robes and who were always trying to trip Jesus up. But Jesus never fell for their tricks because God informed his every word and move, and you can never trip up God. (more…)
THE LOVE COMMANDMENT
On his last night as a human, Jesus spoke in depth to his followers who were gathered with him to celebrate the Passover meal. At some point during the proceedings, he gave us another Commandment – to love as he loved. This was the handing on of the torch from teacher to students, envisioning that they themselves would one day be handing on the torch to their own students, and they to theirs, and so on and so on, all the way down to us.
We now stand with that same torch in our hands, lit by Jesus. And just like those who were gathered around Jesus on his last night as a human, we too are commanded to love as he loved.
But how did Jesus love? (more…)
ANGELS AMONG US
Angels are everywhere this time of year. That is to say – depictions of angels are everywhere. Where angels actually exist in our earthly realm is not generally known to us. I think if we did know, we’d be in awe at how many there are, and how much a part of our lives they are. (more…)
BE RADICAL, NOT FANATICAL
Jesus was a radical in the truest sense of the word. Once he started his ministry work, he lived only for his mission: nothing else mattered.
But being radical and being fanatical are two different things. (more…)
IS YOUR PREACHER A FALSE PROPHET?
You know the old adage about how to know when a politician is lying (his lips are moving)? Well, there’s just as easy a way to know whether or not your preacher is a prophet sent from God or is a false prophet (that is, not sent from God).
If you spend any time at all in Christian circles, you’ll know that preachers are a dime a dozen and that more are popping up each day. People being enthusiastic about God and Jesus is not a bad thing, but if their enthusiasm is for other purposes than teaching and preaching God’s Word, then what you’re dealing with is likely a false prophet.
There are as many ways to discern whether a prophet is false as there are false prophets, but three of the easiest ways are listed below. If your preachers fail one or more of these “false prophet litmus tests”, it’s best to steer clear of them, even if you’ve grown to like or depend on them. (more…)
A BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER 