Jesus is born into a violent world with skirmishes on the highways and fighting in the cities. Sometimes in desperation Joseph cries out, “God, help me protect our Son!”
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Author: Inspirations By Katheryn
I am kind of a world traveler. I have lived in Korea, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Tokyo, Canada, Afghanistan, India and USA.
I remember when President Kennedy was assassinated, watched the first human walk on the moon, Alaska became a state, President Kennedy & Martin Luther King were shot, and the first human walked on the moon.
I remember when the first Star Wars movie came out, 900 religiously misguided humans committed suicide in Guyana, when Microsoft was "invented" and the Ayatollah Khoumeini took over Iran, kicked out western companies (employers) and returned his country to the dark ages.
I WAS THERE WHEN MOUNT SAINT HELENS BLEW. I remember when the Berlin Wall fell, the Internet was created, the first warm-blooded animal was cloned (a sheep) and the Hubble Telescope was launched - all in the 1980s.
And you?
“Michel: The Fourth Wise Man”
The magi see the strange star and travel the world seeking its meaning from the gods. Finally, they give in to Michel and search the prophets of Jehovah. What happens after they see the child Jesus?
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Scripture for Saturday, December 12 (12/12)
The scripture for today, December 17, is Revelation 12:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring ~ those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”Verse 9 says the dragon is also the serpent which is also Satan.
There are some people who seem to be enraged all the time. We may never be able to change that person. But we can direct their anger. If they want to be enraged at someone, let them be angry at Satan. Let them go to war with Satan. Let them rage at everything he is doing. Let them lash out at everything he stands for.
So, think about the people you know who are extremely angry at the church or at God. Tell them that Christians must be spiritual warriors and they could become a Christian soldier of the Lord.
Some people just cannot get rid of anger in their life. They may mellow in their old age, but that mellowness is a long way off. Show them how much Satan is enraged at them and how much God loves them. Show them how to get on God’s side, enroll in the army of the Lord, and use their anger against Satan.
Does it work? Paul said in 1st Timothy 1:13, “I was a violent man.” Yet, he converted people all over southern Europe, as he “fought the good fight”.
#Anger, #Satan, #SpiritualWarfare, #ApostlePaul
Click here to learn more about this popular heart-warming series in adult’s, child’s and large-print versions: http://bit.ly/2hkde9i
Life application questions at the end of each chapter.
Start with just the first book (the Christmas story) or buy all 8 at once.
Scripture for Friday, December 16 (12/16)
The scripture for today, December 16, is Romans 12:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”
Who do we associate with? Just people who are like us?
Do we consider people richer than us as greedy, uncaring and uppity? And people poorer than us as lazy, users and lowlifes?
Do we consider people smarter than us as having their heads in the clouds? And people duller than us as incapable of understanding anything important?
Do we consider people stronger than us as egotistical showoffs? And people weaker than us as not worthy of notice?
How this hurts our Savior who died for everyone. We are all sinners. We all need the same saving grace.
Let us live in harmony with all. Let us make everyone ~ both those “above” us and “below” us ~ feel the love of God through us. And equal.
#Judging, #Ego, #Clique, #Arrogance, #Equality
Click here to learn more about this popular heart-warming series in adult’s, child’s and large- print versions:
Start with just the first book (the Christmas story) or buy all 8 at once.
Scripture for Thursday, December 15 (12/15)
The scripture for today, December 15, is Hebrews 12:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
Bitterness can cause us to miss the grace of God. Bitterness only causes trouble for ourselves and others, and defiles us. Bitterness comes from our thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3), and forgetting that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Bitterness also leads to either bullying or shunning, and ends in broken relationships. It all causes us to miss the grace of God.
The opposite of bitterness is forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean we condone what someone else has done. It means we let go of it and let God handle it. It means we wish the best for the offending person or situation. We can wish even the most hardened criminal will some turn to God and turn his life around. God forgives us as we forgive others.
Forgiveness lifts weights off of us until we feel as though we could soar. Forgiveness takes the clouds away and brings back the sunshine. Forgiveness makes sure we do not miss the grace of God.
#bitterness, #resentment, #forgiveness
Scripture for Wednesday, December 14 (12/14)
The scripture for today, December 14, is 1st Samuel 12:14 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God ~ good!”The Jews had just insisted on having a king rule over them instead of a supreme judge. Samuel replied and said IF. IF they serve and obey the Lord, and IF they both (people and king) follow the Lord, then it is good.
Today as then, some people live in a nation where the king/government does not follow the Lord. What to do? Galatians 5:22 tells us to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled, for “against such things there is no law”.
Is it hard to do this when crooked officials are getting all the advantages and you are being cheated? Indeed it is. It may seem they are on top of things. In reality, they are at the bottom. Never ever let others drag you down to their level. It is not worth it. Keep your eyes on God!
Hold fast!
Stand firm!
Do the right thing!
In the end, they will lose. You and God will win.
And that is good
#patience, #kindness, #goodness, #faithfulness, #gentleness, #selfcontrol
Win a free book ~ “Joseph: The Other Father”
There is still time for a chance to win a free copy of Joseph: The Other Father about an amazing man who constantly protected Jesus in the violent world after Herod the Great died and all chaos broke loose.
Scripture for Tuesday, December 13 (12/13)
The scripture for today, December 12, is 2nd Corinthians 12:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“The things that mark an Apostle ~ signs, wonders and miracles ~ were done among you with great perseverance.”
This is so interesting. These are not things that mark Christians in general, but the Apostles. (Acts 1 lists qualifications of an apostle.)
Jesus told his Apostles that, when they taught the world about Jesus and baptized them, miracles and signs would accompany the believers (Mark 16:17). The miracles and signs followed conversions of believers by the Apostles to whom he was speaking.
Acts 3:6f and 9:40f involved healing by the Apostle Peter, and Acts 20:9f involved healing by the Apostle Paul which they performed to prove their words were the Words of God.
In Acts 6:5-6, the Apostles laid their hands on seven men to serve the church in a special way. Of those men, Stephen performed miracles (6:8) and Philip performed miracles (8:5-7), both to prove their words were the Words of God.
In Romans 1:1,11, the Apostle Paul said he wanted to visit the Christians in Rome so he could impart some spiritual gift. In 1st Corinthians 1:6-7 the Apostle Paul said he imparted spiritual gifts to Christians in Corinth.
We have no examples in the New Testament of anyone other than an Apostle passing on the power to perform miracles. Even the writings of the “Apostolic Fathers” in the late 1st and early 2nd century say things like “Even down to those times there were a few miracles being performed including raising the dead.”
Yes, the reason for the miracles was to prove the words of the miracle performer were the Words of God (which had not yet been written down). It was this way with Jesus, and this way with his Apostles. Now that we have the New Testament (Jesus’ and his Apostles’ teachings in written form) we no longer need the miracles.
They were “marks of an Apostle.” The miracles including, healing, renewing the maimed (making limbs grow back), and bringing people back to life. All of them.
Interesting, isn’t it?
(We sent you the scripture for the 13th yesterday, so today is the scripture for the 12th.)
#Miracles, #Apostles
