Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: miraculous

• New Life! His Life!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 23, 2021

  2 Peter 1:3-4 -As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. NKJV

  

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  There are times when reading and studying the word, I feel like, this isn’t that complicated, why do people have such a hard time with it. And then there are other times when I feel like, Lord, I need help understanding this. Partaking of God’s divinity is a really tough truth to wrap our brains around. At least it is for some!

  Peter wrote in his epistle that God’s divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. It’s scriptural, so it’s truth. But not a new truth for it was first mentioned by John, when he wrote:

  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12 – NKJV

  The take aways from these powerful verses are these:

  1. That when we are born again we are the sons of God
  2. His divine power brings this relationship into existence
  3. It’s as supernatural as the birth of Jesus to Mary

  Interesting to note that Nicodemus asked Jesus a similar question that Mary asked of Gabriel:

  How can these things be?

  Jesus had just finished explaining to Nicodemus the supernatural experience of the new birth. He told Nicodemus that when a person is born again, he is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus wanted to know if a man was supposed to climb back into the womb and be born again. Jesus patiently explained that He was speaking of a new birth, a birth brought about by the Spirit of God.

  As we enter into the season of the Passover, the Easter season, it is important to remember the significance of our born again experience. For many, they never experience the supernatural because their approach to God is so casual; but something supernatural takes place, just as it did when God’s Spirit planted the Seed in Mary’s womb.

  2 Corinthians 5:17-Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God…NKJV

  If you are in Christ:

  • You are a new creation
  • Old things are passed away
  • All things are made new
  • All things are of God

  There was, and is, nothing natural about our becoming sons of God. This amazing new birth into the family of God is a result of the gospel. The same gospel that Paul writes this about:

  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16 -NKJV

  His divine power, the power of God, is activated when the gospel is shared and received. That power is sufficient to give us salvation, or new life. This was hard for Mary to understand, and it is even harder for us to wrap our brains around. The gospel message is God’s power released upon our lives to bring about the new birth! That’s beautiful! A birth that makes us a new creature in Christ called sons of God!

  Another point that Peter makes is that this power that gives us new life, also gives us all things that pertains to life and godliness. Here’s an even bigger mystery. The power of the old man is destroyed, giving way to the new man and all things that pertain to life and godliness.

  Things that pertain to life. When we are new creatures in Christ Jesus, we have eternal life, just as Jesus explained to Nicodemus. This new life is eternal. Paul explained it like this:

  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 – NKJV

  The life that we now live, we live by faith in the Son of God. His life overtakes our life, giving us the power to live this new life. A life that is pleasing to the Father. A life that’s in Him. A life of sacrifice, peace, love, joy…His life!

  Things that pertain to godliness. A life lived in godliness. One that allows His divine nature to be seen in our being. A godliness that chooses His way, His thoughts, His word, His actions, His attitude over our own. A godliness that turns it back on a life of sin, which is no life, to live a life of righteousness.

  All of this was obtained, by the divine power of God, when we became born again believers. Many still glory in their old nature, their sin nature. But if you are in Christ, your DNA has changed! You are a new creature! The old is gone, and the new has taken front and center. Begin enjoying the truth that you have really been changed. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in 2 Peter 1:3-4, Divine Nature, Jesus, power | 0 Comments | Tagged crucified with Christ, Divine Nature, divine power, Galatians 2:20, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John, life and godliness, miraculous, Paul, Peter, righteousness, Salvation, supernatural

• Lord, I Thank You!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on March 1, 2021

  Ephesians 6:18 – praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—NKJV

  

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  This week I am turning my focus to prayer. I’ve blogged before on the subject of praying always, but I don’t recall addressing the many types of ways we can pray. I look at the picture of the young girl and her posture, and I think, I know that posture. Do we have to have a certain type of posture? No! But sometimes a posture say more than our words ever could!

  Paul encourages us in this verse to pray with all prayer. That word “all” causes me to infer that there is more than one way to pray. Of course, I know it to be true, but for the sake of beginnings, I want to make that point. There are all kinds of prayers, and therefore there are all kinds of way to pray.

  One of my favorite ways to pray, is the prayer of thanksgiving! This time of conversing with the Lord can be short and to the point: Thank you Lord for not allowing that car to hit me! Or it can be longer, where we give Him thanks for any number of reasons!

  Something I see in the Old Testament, is that people were chosen to give thanks to God:

  And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 31:2 – NKJV

  Can you imagine living life without the privilege of thanking God for who He is in your life, and for all He has done? Can you imagine being in a time and place when someone else was designated to be in His presence thanking Him, and you weren’t that someone?

  And with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because His mercy endures forever; 1 Chronicles 16:41 -NKJV

  Or maybe it wasn’t like that all! Maybe, they were chosen to set the atmosphere of worship in the house of the Lord! For that is exactly, what the prayer of thanksgiving leads to. Worship!

  What are some of the things we should find ourselves giving Him thanks for?

  • We should thank Him because He is good! 1 Corinthians 16:34
  • We should thank Him for His great name! Psalm 35:18
  • We should give Him thanks because we are His people Psalm 79:13
  • We should thank Him because it’s the right thing to do! Psalm 92:1
  • We should thank Him for His wonderful works to other people! Psalm 107:8
  • We should thank Him for His word! Psalm 119:62
  • We should thank Him for His mercy that endures forever! Psalm 136:26
  • We should give thanks for His Blood that was shed for us! Mark 14:23
  • We should give thanks for His Body that was given for us! Luke 22:19
  • We should give thanks for what He does for us! Luke 17:16
  • We should give thanks for Him giving us the victory through our Lord! 1 Corinthians 15:57
  • We should thank Him for those who are a part of the Body of Christ! Ephesians 1:16
  • We should thank Him for grace! 2 Corinthians 9:15

  And if that is not enough to take you to the place of worship, thanks should be given for Jesus! And thanks for this beautiful land that we live in, and for life, and for health, and for strength! And for family, and jobs, and friends, and vehicles, and homes…and I think you get the picture!

  This is my favorite type of prayer, as I said, because it leads to worship. It leads to us remembering who God is and all He has done and can do for us! It has a way of refreshing me and causing me to get my mind off of the negative issues in life, or the stress of the day. As a matter of fact, it gets me in the right frame of mind to blog.

  Anyone can be become an expert at talking to God with the prayer of thanksgiving! The leper who was cleansed, immediately knew exactly what words to say and what posture to take after he was healed. You don’t need an example, or further explanation. No need for the Greek or the Hebrew words to break it down! Just know that it’s an excellent way to talk to the Everlasting God and that you will most certainly get His attention!! Then when you finish giving Him thanks, you can just bask in His presence! Wonderful Jesus!

  prayer-for-salvation.mp3

  Posted in God, Prayer, Thanksgiving | 2 Comments | Tagged Christian, David, giving of thanks, God, leper, miraculous, Paul, Prayer, psalm, Thanksgiving, victory, worship

• He’ll Make it Better!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 13, 2021

  Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed” NKJV

  

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  I have to admit that my blog was kind of long on yesterday, but you should’ve seen all that I had to cut out! I’ll try and do better today, but this is a topic that people from all walks of life, every tongue, and every nation can identify with: a broken heart! I look at the person in this picture and think, what would cause a grown man to stand in a shower, fully dressed, and cry his heart out?

  You don’t have to live long to experience a broken heart, but if you’ve lived for any number of years, you have probably had your share of experiences that have caused your heart to break! Well, I have great news for you today! Jesus was sent to heal the broken heart!

  I decided to go online tonight, and I found that there is actually a condition called broken heart syndrome! That was a little surprising, but realizing the many instances of how a heart can be broken, I can see that!

  What’s broken your heart? Maybe you had a loved one who got in trouble with the law, and their lives were essentially ruined as they were hauled off to jail? Or maybe you went to work one day, and when you returned your spouse had taken all of his/her personal items and didn’t even leave a note? Or maybe it wasn’t that drastic, it was just that your spouse lied to you about something that you thought was important? Or your best friend turned out to be your worst nightmare? Maybe your dream job was given to the person you like the least in the company, or the promotion you thought you were getting turned out to be a demotion? The list can go on and on and on, because as long as we interact with people, there is the potential for a broken heart!

  This pandemic has claimed almost 380,000 lives here in America, and almost 2,000,000 lives worldwide. I can assure you that there are a lot of broken hearts today. There are those who have lost their businesses, their homes, their livelihoods, their churches, their health, all because COVID-19 showed up unexpectedly and stayed way longer than we could have imagined. Heartbreak!

  Here’s what the psalmist wrote about the situation:

  Psalm 147:3 -He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]. AMP

  And again,

  Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart…NKJV

  The disciples come to mind at the moment, of those with a broken heart. Can you imagine the way their hearts must have felt as they saw the Savior being crucified? Can you wonder what it must have felt like to see Him so disfigured on the cross? The One who had healed so many, brought life to others, and gave hope to them all hung there lifeless before them. Don’t you think their hearts had to have been crushed with each pounding of the nails into His hands and feet? Oh my, how I cried when I watched it portrayed in “The Passion of the Cross”. I might have fainted away and died had I witnessed it in person.

  And Peter! What about his heart? As he heard that cock crow for the last time and realized that he had done the very thing he said he wouldn’t do? He wept bitterly! Why? His heart was literally breaking into pieces.

  But Jesus didn’t leave them there with that overwhelming pain. And He doesn’t want to leave you there. Just as He went to them and healed their broken hearts, He will come to you, if you let Him.

  I well remember a time when He came to me. Unfortunately, I wish I could say that it was only once, but it was several times through the decades of my life, that He has healed me. One night, I lay in bed a sobbing mess! As I lay there, hurting over a deeply painful situation, I could hardly breathe. Snot running from nose, tears flowing my eyes, balled up in pain. All I could think was, “O God, help me!” I even whispered that I wish He could just wrap His arms around me and hold me. Not moments later, I felt as if arms were being wrapped around me and I was being held close. I knew it was His Presence. As He held me, He healed me. The pain just began to be absorbed into Him as it was drained from me. The experience was so supernatural, it’s truly unbelievable. But since I experienced it, I know it to be true.

  The disciples asked Jesus one day, “Don’t You care that we are about to perish?” Your heart may be hurting so badly right now that you are wondering if He cares. I can truly assure you that He does. He not only cares, but He came to heal you of that pain!

  Stop carrying around that albatross! It’s too much for you to bear! But it’s just the thing for Him to bear! He truly wants to heal you of all the hurt that you are experiencing, even right now! He wants to remove the guilt, the shame, the paralyzing fear that comes with it. He wants to remove it all! So that you can be free!

  All you need to do is to give it to Him! Cry out to Him, not just in pain, but in faith; believing that He can and He will heal you. For only He can! He will make it better for you! He promised! Wonderful Jesus!

  prayer-for-salvation.mp3

  Posted in Healing, Jesus, Luke 4:18, supernatural | 3 Comments | Tagged coronavirus, God, Healing, heartbreak, Marriage, miraculous, pain, pandemic, Peter, Prayer, psalm, relationships, supernatural, trust in God

• Anticipate Your Miracle!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 6, 2021

  Luke 4:25-27 – But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” NKJV

  

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  It’s really interesting to read the Bible and have something shout out to you. That’s what happened when I read this passage of scripture. I think I totally missed that it was Elijah with the widow and Elisha with Naaman. It happens! But what stood out to me the most was that they were Gentiles and that God orchestrated these encounters.

  In my previous post, we learned about the widow of Zarephath, who Elijah the prophet was sent to during the drought. Today, we will learn about Naaman, the leper, who also “caught” God’s attention! We will find this astonishing miracle in 2 Kings 5.

  Naaman, was a Syrian commander, whom God had used to bring victory to the Syrian army, according to the author of Kings. The Bible states that he was an honorable man and a mighty man of valor. However, he had one little problem; he was a leper.

  In the Old Testament, lepers were considered to be unclean, and as such, could not even be amongst the children of Israel. They had a special place outside the city where they lived until they either were healed or died. The disease had a horrendous affect on the bodies of those it ravished.

  Naaman, went on a raid, maybe against Israel, and captured a young Jewish girl who became a servant to his wife. One day the girl said to her mistress that if Naaman was to meet the prophet in Israel, he would be healed. When Naaman’s wife shared this with him, he went to his king and requested time to go and see the prophet.

  For Naaman, this had to be a dream come true. To be free of the diabolical disease that had the potential to eat away at his flesh causing parts of his body to someday begin to fall off? Imagine his hope and excitement at the chance to be whole! Such was his anticipation at being healed, that he took with him much silver and gold, and changes of clothing. He was going to Israel to be healed!

  Naaman arrived in Israel with a letter from his king, to the king of Israel, that stated the purpose of Naaman’s visit: to be healed of his leprosy. The king of Israel’s response was not a happy dance, but a fear that he was being trapped. When the prophet heard what was happening, he instructed the king to send Naaman to him.

  Yes! The excitement of Naaman and his entourage. I’m sure that there was much conversation and wonderment over how this miracle would happen. Naaman even shared that he thought the prophet would come out to him and do his thing!

  2 Kings 5:11 – “But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ NKJV

  But the prophet didn’t even stick his head out of the door. Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman and told him to go and wash seven times in the Jordan and his flesh would be restored and he would be clean. This is why Naaman was furious. After his long journey and all of his dreams, nothing was happening as he thought. Not only that, he was being told to go and wash in the muddy waters of the Jordan. What Naaman did not know or understand was that the prophet could not come out to him without becoming unclean himself. Elisha wasn’t just being rude!

  Jesus tells us in our text that many men were lepers in Israel. Yet, they were not healed by the prophet. But there was a man in Syria who heard about a prophet who could get him healed; and he was willing to do whatever he had to do, to obtain his miracle. Maybe that is what was missing in Israel, people who still believed!

  After Naaman finished his tirade about the ridiculousness of washing in the Jordan, his servants had a conversation with him. They knew of his desire to be healed. They had probably heard countless stories on the journey of how much he wanted to be free of leprosy and all that it would enable him to do. So they got some backbone and talked with him. (Thank God for the people in our lives who will brave our anger and tell us the truth)! They told Naaman that if the prophet had told him to do some mighty act, he would have done it, so why not go and wash?

  The path to a miracle doesn’t always make sense! It’s not always going to make us feel strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Sometimes it might make us feel ridiculous, maybe even humble us. Such was the case with Naaman! But he quickly got over himself and walked into the water!

  He washed as Elisha instructed him and he was made whole! Yes! It happened as the prophet said! He was clean! The young maiden had told him the truth! But he almost missed it. He almost allowed his pride and his offended spirit to cause him to miss out on his life changing miracle. How grateful he must have felt towards his servants for speaking to him! How grateful he must have felt for being able to listen to them!

  God had seen Naaman. Jesus implies this in our text! He saw his heart, and heard his cry to be healed. He saw that even though Naaman was a Syrian warrior, he was honorable. Maybe Naaman even treated his Jewish captives with respect. Whatever the case, God saw Him and God offered him an opportunity to be made whole. But obtaining the miracle was totally up to Naaman.

  Naaman’s response to his miracle when he returned to the prophet’s door:

  2 Kings 5:15 -And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel…” NKJV

  He finally gets his audience with the prophet, because now he is clean!

  Naaman exercised great faith in his preparation for the journey. We see this in the fact that he didn’t sneak over to Israel, he requested to go and was upfront about why he wanted to go. He prepared to give a substantial gift for his healing, it meant that much. He went with the expectation to receive. And although he almost missed the most important part, he even yielded and obeyed the words of the prophet. By his works, he demonstrated his faith in what he heard in Syria and then in Israel.

  There was just something about these two Gentile individuals, who had no known relationship or access to God. Something was happening in their hearts or around them that caused them to be open to the true and living God. That something got His attention and caused Him to get His prophets involved in a miracle.

  What about us? What are doing to show that we are expecting God to move in a miraculous way in our lives? Are we anticipating His divine intervention or are we rationalizing why it could never happen? Are we willing to do whatever it takes, or are we just sitting around hoping one will fall from heaven into our laps? This is a new year. Last year we saw things we could not have imagined happen in the natural world. I think this is a great year to see things we could have never imagine from God.

  1 Corinthians 2:9 – “But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” NKJV

  Go ahead! Anticipate your miracle! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God’s Blessings, Heroes of Faith, Hope in God, Jesus, miracle | 0 Comments | Tagged anticipation, Faith, God, hope, intervention, Jesus, king, miracle, miraculous, Naaman the leper, supernatural, widow of Zarephath

• Are You Drawing God?

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 4, 2021

  Luke 4:25-27 – But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” NKJV

  

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  Welcome to 2021! I’m so thankful to see the new year, and I am looking forward to all that God has for us as His people.

  I was reading in the fourth chapter of Luke when I read our text for today. I was actually considering another portion of this chapter when these verses resonated with me.

  Jesus had just finished reading from what we call Isaiah 61. He then announce that this scripture had been fulfilled in Him that day. As usual, there were many who were opposed to Him and His words. Then He made the comment that a prophet is without honor in His hometown.

  After He made this comment, He said something very interesting that I would like to focus on today. Jesus told the listeners that when Elijah was the prophet of God and there was a famine in the land, God sent Elijah to a widow to be taken care of. He went on to say that even though there were many widows in Israel, God chose a widow in Zarephath. This was an insult to the Jews in that this widow was a Gentile. Let’s review her encounter with Elijah!

  God sent Elijah away from Israel to hide out from Ahab because Elijah told Ahab that there would be a drought in the land of Israel for three years, according to his word. Not a drop of rain, not even dew. Since the Israelites livelihood was based on agriculture, this lack of rain would create monumental problems in their society. Not only would there be a drought, but this would cause a famine that would affect this entire region. (1 Kings 17)

  When Elijah arrived in Zarephath he saw a widow gathering sticks and asked her for a cup of water. As she was going to get the water, he also asked for a morsel of bread. The woman replied that she didn’t have bread, and she only had a little flour and a little oil to prepare one last meal for her and her son. Then they would eat it and die. Things were really tight for her. By the time Elijah had arrived in Zarephath the drought was taking a toll on the land. Every one was feeling it. As a widow, with no one to support her, she was really struggling to find enough to keep her and he son fed. And since we know that she felt she was preparing her last meal, she had run out of options.

  Traditionally, we use this as an offering scripture. We talk about this widow as one who sacrificed for the prophet and therefore she was blessed. And this could be applicable to her story. But Jesus gives us another perspective on this woman.

  Jesus said that Elijah was sent to this woman. During the famine, there were a lot of widows who were struggling, but this woman in Zarephath was the woman that got God’s attention, causing Him to send the prophet on a very long journey to get to her and give her a miracle. Yes, this was about Elijah being sustained during the drought by her, but I believe it was about her as much as it was about him. And giving an offering was not the main point of the event.

  2 Chronicles 16:9 – For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…NKJV

  What caused the God of the universe, the God who was in covenant relationship with the Jews, to bypass the widows of His people, and to send Elijah to Zarephath? God had told Elijah to leave Israel and to go to Zarephath. Before He sent Elijah to Zarephath, He sent Elijah to a brook to be fed by the ravens. He is a Jewish prophet, being fed bread and meat, twice a day, by an unclean animal. God is preparing him to be sustained by the Gentile widow since he probably had little dealings with the Gentiles. After the brook dries up, He sends Elijah to Zarephath. God could have easily protected Elijah and provided for him in Israel, as He did at the brook, but God sent him away. Back to why I think Elijah was sent to this particular woman: God saw something in this widow that drew Him to her.

  Here’s the point that I think Jesus was making. God passed a lot of widows in Israel to get to the one in Zarephath. And if that wasn’t enough, He went to a Gentile. All of the widows had needs in Israel, but only the widow of Zarephath got the attention of the Father, and therefore, the servant of God. Jesus was speaking to a crowd of Jewish individuals who were acting as if He, the son of Joseph, couldn’t really have anything of spiritual value for them. They knew Him, and His entire “earthly” family. Not only that, Joseph, His earthly father, was not a rabbi, but a mere carpenter. And yet, Jesus stood before them and said that He was their Messiah! What? And did He just slam them and their Jewishness by pointing out that God overlooked their widows and provided for a Gentile widow at the command of a Jewish prophet? These were stoning words!

  They took great offense at Him saying this. In the days of Elijah, when he declared a drought for three years, the people of God were in a spiritual drought. They weren’t listening to God, seeking God, or available to God, because their hearts had been turned towards Baal. So when God needed someone to minister to His servant Elijah, He just went to the Gentiles, where there was a woman who (for whatever reason) caught His attention.

  Due to the fact that she was preparing for her and her son to die, it doesn’t look like she had any faith. When she was asked by Elijah to make him something to eat before she made them something to eat, she probably wanted to keep walking. Then Elijah spoke these words:

  1 Kings 17:14 -For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”NKJV

  I don’t know what she had before Elijah spoke these words. I don’t know where she was at in her thinking as she stood there. But when she heard the words of the prophet, Elijah, I believe hope and faith kicked into high gear, propelling her to do as Elijah requested. The Bible states that she went and did as he asked; and it happened as he said. They had flour and oil throughout the remainder of the drought.

  God gave this widow a life changing miracle. He didn’t provide her with food for a day or even a week. He provided her with enough flour and oil to feed the three of them for the remainder of the drought! That’s something to shout about!

  We have seen some turbulent times in 2020, and we may see more in 2021; but they don’t have to be the focal point of our lives. We can decide for ourselves, if we are going to be people who will draw God’s attention and cause Him to move on our behalf, or if we will be the ones He will pass over.

  It doesn’t matter how long you have been a Christian, and it doesn’t matter what your denomination is. It matters only what you believe at the time you are before Him. Yesterday’s faith won’t take care of today’s situations. You need a right now faith to draw God’s attention to you. A faith that says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name”!

  Faith moves the hand of God. It moved His hand in Zarephath when He found no one worthy in Israel, and it will move His hand on our behalf. And another important truth, faith without works is dead! More to come in the next blog. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Faith, God, Jesus, miracle, trust in God | 0 Comments | Tagged Faith, hard times, hope, Jesus, miracles, miraculous, protection, provision, stoning, testimony, the Pharisees, widow of Zarephath, witness

• Happy Hanukkah!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 28, 2020

  John 10:22-23- Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. ²³ And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. NKJV

  

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  Hanukkah was actually celebrated this year from December 10th to the 18th. Many Christians are unaware of this Jewish festival, but since it is celebrated during the holiday season in December, I wanted to at least share why it’s celebrated and see if I could “tie” it in to it’s spiritual significance for me as a believer.

  In our key verse, John made note of the fact that Jesus went to the synagogue during the Feast of Dedication. This feast actually has several names including, the Feast of Lights, and Hanukkah! This is not a feast that the people were given by God, but one that was instituted in Jewish culture as a result of a dark time in their history. It is widely observed today by Jews all over the world.

  There was a Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes, who reigned from 175 BC to 164 BC. He had the bright idea that he would get rid of all things Jewish in Palestine, including their religion, and replace it with all things Greek. His first attempts to do so were peaceful, but didn’t get him the results that he wanted, so in 170 BC he launched an attack against Jerusalem. This attack resulted in the deaths and enslavement of over 150,000 Jews. He stole from the Temple treasury and made it a capital offense to possess a copy of the Law, or to circumcise a child. The list of his sins were many, including the defiling of the temple in every way he could think of.

  Then Judas Maccabaeus and his brother led a fight for freedom. In 164 BC they finally won the battle over king Antiochus and began a cleansing and purification of the Temple. It was to commemorate this time of Temple cleansing and restoration that the Feast of Dedication was instituted. Judas Maccabaeus had determined that the feast should be a happy occasion and should last for eight days, beginning on the 25th of the month of Chislev. Lights were a huge part of the celebration, thus the name, the Festival of Lights. There are two different views about the lights. According to one historian, eight lights were placed in the windows on the first day of the feast. Each day a light was snuffed out until there was only one light remaining on the last day. The way I heard it told, was just the opposite. A candlestick with eight branches was placed in the window and each day, a candle was added and there would be eight lights on the last day burning in the windows.

  Some say the lights had a more significant, miraculous meaning, other than celebrating the light of freedom returning to Jerusalem. It is said that when they re-lit the menorah, the seven-branch candlestick, at the first celebration, they only had enough purified oil to light the lamps for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for the entire eight day celebration, and thus the eight days of burning candles is a testament of the miracle God gave when the oil lasted for those eight days instead of one. Just a bit history to set the background for my thought for today.

  The first time I heard of the Feast of Dedication, I was a teenager. Time was set aside at the end of every year, during the festival dates, to re-dedicate our lives to the Lord for the upcoming year. It was a time of soul-searching, reflecting on the past year, and goal-setting for the next year. Although, I don’t “celebrate” this festival in its fullness, I do (like most people) use this last month of the year to reflect and to think about the past year and the goals that I want to set for the upcoming year.

  1 Corinthians 6:19-20- Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

  I can so understand a spiritual connection to the Festival of Dedication, based on this scripture in 1 Corinthians. If a physical temple needs cleansing and purification, as a believer, I want to keep my spiritual temple cleansed and purified. I may not burn candles (for I understand that Jesus is still the Light of my world), and it may not take me eight days to do what I need to do; however, I do think a time to reflect is needed. Time to think about how I took care of the Lord’s temple, my body, what I allowed to be done in this temple, and through this temple, and if in the end did it glorify my Lord. That reflection may lead me to repentance, or just a time of worship and joy, but I still believe today, it is beneficial.

  When I gave my heart to the Lord as a child, I didn’t know all that I was doing or all that it meant. When I recommitted my life to the Lord, as a teen, I had greater understanding. I have never changed my mind, my heart, or my focus from serving the Lord, but I can occasionally find myself in need of restoration, rejuvenation, or refocusing of my time.

  Jesus went to the temple during this feast. No other mention of the celebration is mentioned. But I wanted to tie a scripture to my thinking. Instead of making a new year resolution, maybe what’s needed is more of a heartfelt time of contemplation before Jesus, the Savior! A time of being real and keeping it real, as we head into the year of 2021. A time of saying, maybe we didn’t quite do all that we thought we would do this year, Lord; but we’re looking forward to doing so much more in the year to come! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in commitment, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Antiochus Epiphanes, attacks, encouragement, Feast of Dedication, Festival of Lights, freedom, Hanukkah, Jesus, king, miraculous

• The Gift of God!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 23, 2020

  Matthew 1:21 – “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” NKJV

  

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  My heart is overflowing at this moment with joy, amazement, and excitement. Jesus is so good to me and my family, on purpose! When God sent Jesus, He sent us the very heart of His love for us. Who wouldn’t want to serve a God like this? Once I was watching a Christian program as an Arab believer shared of his faith in the Lord Jesus. He said words like this: All my life I was taught that I would have to die for my god. Then I met Jesus and realized that my God died for me! Glory Hallelujah!

  Today’s blog is called the gift of God. Six times in the word of God we will find this phrase, and I thought that it would be the perfect ending to the gifts we receive from the Lord. It’s not the end, or the complete list, just the way I am choosing to end this series of blogs.

  In John, chapter 4, we find this phrase:

  John 4:10 -Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” NKJV

  In Bethlehem, over 2,000 years ago, God gave us a gift- Jesus! He is the gift of God that just keeps giving and giving and giving. He told the woman at the well, that if she knew the gift of God, she would have asked Him for living water and He would have given it to her! When we know the “the gift of God” He continuously supply us with life giving water. He is the gift above all other gifts and should treasured everyday of our lives.

  In Romans and Ephesians we also find this phrase:

  Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NKJV

  Not only is Jesus, the gift of God, but also through Him we receive another precious gift. The gift of salvation! Remember He is the gift that keeps on giving! What do I value in life more than my salvation? Only my relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. When we are born again, it is the gift of God.

  Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NKJV

  In the book of Acts:

  Acts 8:20 – “But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” NKJV

  Simon was a sorcerer in Samaria when Philip went there to minister to the people. As the message went forth, Simon believed. Then Peter and John went to see all the things that were going on in Samaria and prayed for the believers to receive the Holy Spirit. When the people were filled with God’s Spirit, Simon was so excited that he wanted to pay for that power. Then Peter told him, “your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money.” The Holy Spirit is the gift of God as much as Jesus is. He is to be treasured, not shunned. We should all desire His being poured into us as much as we desire salvation. He is from God, He is the gift of God!

  Lastly, in the book of Ecclesiastes we have this verse twice:

  Ecclesiastes 3:13 – “And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. NKJV

  Do you enjoy the benefits of your labor: bills paid, food on your table, roof over your head? It is the gift of God! You thought it was the result of your labors, but it is the gift of God that you have a house and you get to enjoy it! It is the gift of God that you bought a car, and you get to enjoy it! It is the gift of God that you can retire, and you get to enjoy it, and not someone else! You!

  Ecclesiastes 5:19 – As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. NKJV

  People complain about prosperity preachers. But did you know that having riches and wealth, and the ability to enjoy those things are the gift of God? Well, you know it now. Some might feel embarrassed to be wealthy, or even well off, but don’t be. God gave you this gift. Receive your heritage and rejoice in your labor. It is the gift of God!

  We serve such an awesome God. He shares so much of Himself with us. He wants us to be prosperous, to enjoy life, to experience Him and His salvation. It’s all available to us, as a gift. He won’t make us take any of it, but He has made it all available to us.

  This holiday season is unusual already with the COVID-19 restrictions in place. Let’s just go ahead and make it really unusual by opening our hearts to receive all the gifts that He has provided us with. On this Christmas Day when your natural gifts may be limited, know that your spiritual gifts are yours for the asking! I truly pray that you and your family will stay safe, celebrate responsibly, and enjoy each other in the Lord! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Gifts, God, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus | 3 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, Gifts, Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, miraculous, Peter and John, prosperity, Salvation, Simon the sorcerer, testimony, the gift of God, wealth

• Inspiration Gifts!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 21, 2020

  Luke 1:67-68 – “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people…NKJV

  

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  This week is the Christmas week. Schools have dismissed for the holidays, and stores are having their “biggest sale of the year” to make as much money as they can before Christmas Day! All month, I have used a verse from the account of the birth of Jesus as we have approached this exciting holiday. Whatever we feel about it, He is still the reason for the season for most of us!

  Today, I will conclude my look at the manifestation gifts, or the charisma gifts of the Spirit. We have already gone over the power gifts, and the revelation gifts. The gifts that remain are the inspiration gifts, the gifts that say something. Just a reminder that all of the gifts are supernatural in their administration, and should not be used for any purpose other than what He intended, to benefit the Body of Christ.

  1 Corinthians 12:10 – “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” NKJV

  The inspiration gifts: prophecy, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues, are the most controversial gifts of the mix. Why? I don’t know for a fact! But I believe it is because tongues is so misunderstood in the church, and having a gift that includes tongues, for some, may be a little much. Anyway, I am a staunch believer in the “whole” counsel of the word, so I believe in all of the gifts, and have seen them operate under the anointing enough to know they are real.

  The gift of prophecy. In our key text, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and he prophesied. This is how the gift works. In his case, it could have been a once in a lifetime manifestation, but the gift of prophesy is activated by the Holy Spirit, as are the other eight gifts. Zacharias suddenly began to speak what was placed in his spirit, or his heart, as the Holy Ghost moved upon him, and he prophesied. Throughout the Bible there are many such instances where individuals prophesied. These people were not considered prophets, but the Spirit moved upon them and gave them a word to “speak” to the people. As such, they prophesied. In order for this to be a gift, and not just a response to the overwhelming presence of God, it must occur frequently in the life of the believer.

  I want to veer for a moment and point out that Zacharias didn’t get everybody’s attention by saying, “Thus says the Lord!” Or by saying, “The Lord is saying to me…”. I’m not mocking people who do start out like this, I’m just pointing out that the gift is not to bring attention to the individual, but always, always, to God. This gift has been released in the body to bring edification, exhortation, and comfort to men (1 Corinthians 14:3).

  The gift of tongues. I have already written about the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. That isn’t this gift. It looks the same, yet it is different. Another thing about tongues, is that it’s one of two gifts that is only seen in the Church age, because the baptism of the Holy Spirit happened after Jesus’ resurrection. The other one is the interpretation of tongues. Maybe this is another reason is it not widely accepted as genuine, because we only learn about it from the early Church.

  A person who has been given the gift of tongues, will receive a message from God in a tongue. That tongue is not known by the individual, and thus it is supernatural. However, during the Azusa Street Revival, people who received the gift of tongues was said to have miraculously gained the ability to speak and understand a new language they had never learned. These individuals would then go to that country and become a missionary. On a more “normal” understanding of the gift of tongues, a person would receive an unusual language, or a known language, that would have a prophetic message within it.

  This brings us to the interpretation of tongues. Whenever the gift of tongues is in operation, someone with the gift of interpretation of tongues must be present to let the people know what is being said. The same person can have both gifts and can speak in the tongue and interpret it. These gifts operating together equals the gift of prophecy. Again, they are for the edification, comfort, and exhortation of the hearers.

  One man shared this testimony: He was invited to church by a friend. He didn’t realize it was a Pentecostal service, but when he did realize it, he didn’t want to be there. Suddenly someone began to speak in tongues. As the tongue went forth, it was his native language. The message that was given really ministered to him. After service he went to the person and began to speak to him in his language thinking the man knew his language. But he did not. He realized then that God had set it up for him to receive that message, resulting in his salvation and in him receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have heard this type of testimony on many occasions.

  When a tongue is interpreted, it is not word for word. The tongue could be long, the interpretation could be short. And vice verse. But the message, from God, will encourage and bless those who hear it. It could even be a direct message for a particular person, like in my example.

  After I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was given a message both in tongues and in English. We were in Bible study, and the Spirit of the Lord moved on me to speak in tongues. After I finished speaking in tongues, I heard a clear word in my spirit and just said what I heard. When our pastor got up to teach his lesson, it was on the very thing that I had spoken or interpreted from the tongue. The Spirit confirmed his teaching for the evening. It shocked me. I knew I hadn’t made it up at that point, and I knew I didn’t have prior knowledge of the message, so the Holy Spirit encouraged me to trust Him when He moved on me. That night, the church was eager to hear what the pastor had to share and we had a move of the Spirit during the service.

  These gifts of inspiration, or utterance, are designed to encourage the Body of Christ. People leave refreshed, comforted, and strengthened after these gifts are in operation. They can be abused, but again, that doesn’t give us the right to throw them out.

  As I come to a close on these gifts, I want to remind you that I know I have not shared all there is to know about the gifts. I also know that I have been very general in what I have been sharing. Again, my intent was just to think about Christmas, not only as gift giving time, but as a time to receive and enjoy the gifts that Jesus has given to us through His Spirit.

  When we were growing up we used to say, what you don’t know can’t hurt you. But that is so not true. If you don’t hear that a flood is coming to your area, and it comes, you most definitely can get hurt. If we don’t have the information we need to be successful in our walk with the Lord, it most definitely can hurt us. It can also stunt our growth, or keep us in bondage to fears of the unknown. I’ve never experienced the pleasure of skiing down a mountain, but I know for many it is a wondrous experience. When I think of sliding down a mountain on two skis at a slow pace, it feels me with dread. Therefore, I would avoid this experience at all cost. But the people who experience it, anticipate it and highly recommend it. Just because we have not experienced something, like the gifts in our life, or we have not even had a positive experience with them, doesn’t negate them, or the blessing that they are in the lives of others. And can be in yours!

  This Christmas, let’s open our hearts to all of who Jesus is and to all that He has for us. Praying you and your family will have a very safe and happy holiday celebration! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Spiritual Gifts | 0 Comments | Tagged gift giving, gift of interpretation of tongues, gift of prophecy, gift of tongues, gifts of inspiration, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, speaking in tongues, supernatural, testimony

• The Spirit of Praise!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 9, 2020

  Luke 2:13-14 – “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, goodwill toward men!” NKJV

  

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  I’ve been listening to Christmas music already! I am not a fan of the commercialization of Christmas, but I have to admit that I love the music of Christmas! There are a lot of anointed singers out there, but can I just say that I really enjoy listening to Mariah Carey’s “O Holy Night”? Don’t shoot me, if you don’t agree with my choice, but it is a beautiful song.

  Long ago, shepherds were watching their flocks at night. (I read a book recently of shepherds in Jerusalem in biblical times. It was a historical fiction, and I mention it because I never really thought much about this scene). In the book, the shepherds would bring the sheep in closer to their living space at night, and then someone would guard the sheep at night from predators.

  Imagine that it has been a long day, they have had dinner, and they are resting from their long day and preparing their minds for their long evening, when suddenly someone is standing before them. And not only has someone appeared before them out of nowhere, a stranger, but he is also surrounded by light. The Bible lets us know that the men were terrified. These men, who are out with a staff, walking the perimeter of their sheep pen all night to keep them safe, and they are suddenly terrified. This was no simple visitation of an angel!

  The angel speaks and says to the shepherds:

  “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12 – NKJV

  Don’t be afraid! Are you kidding me? You popped up out of nowhere, with a light shining around you, and you say don’t fear? I’m pretty sure that those words, didn’t calm the hearts of the shepherds. And if those words did, then the next thing that happened sent them right back into panic mode:

  Luke 2:13-14 – “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, goodwill toward men!” NKJV

  Think about this for a minute. Was the praise team invited to this announcement? Maybe! God orchestrates well! But what I believe really happened was that at the announcement of the birth of the Son of God, they couldn’t contain their joy and their praise was so glorious, God pulled back the curtains of heaven and allowed the shepherds to see and hear what was happening. It was a day of glorious high praise! The song, “Angels We Have Heard on High” pales in comparison to the song the angels sung.

  Now, my focus isn’t on Christmas per se! It’s on Jesus! I believe that this time of the year is filled with so many songs, special to the occasion, sacred and secular, because it’s a time of high praise! When we stop and think about Jesus coming into this world, all that He did, and all that He is still doing, it ought to cause our hearts to spring forth in praise, just as it did with the angels!

  Many times throughout Jesus’ time on the earth, people had the same reaction to Him. Let’s look at a few:

  Bartimaeus was blind. Because he was blind, he had to sit on the side of the road and beg for a handout. But one day Jesus passed by and changed his life!

  Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Luke 18:42-43 -NKJV

  You don’t need your imagination to understand the overwhelming sense of praise that came upon Bartimaeus that day. Not only did he receive his sight, he also had an amazing encounter with Jesus, and he didn’t have to beg for bread anymore! That’ll get you up and shouting! I want to shout for him and his victory even now! Glory!!

  At another time, Jesus began ministering to the multitudes:

  Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:30-31 – NKJV

  This word “glorified” comes from the same root word that “praise” in our key text comes from, doxa. A spirit of praise overcame them as they watched God’s marvelous works happen right before their eyes.

  Recently, a friend called me and asked me to pray for her daughter who had a severe allergic reaction to something. They had already been to the hospital to have it checked out, but her daughter was still in great discomfort, and was actually the one who wanted me to pray. So I did! Not only did God relieve the itchy skin, but the very next day, her skin was completely cleared up. She texted me not long ago to tell me that she was still clear! I want you to know that I danced all day when I got the praise report! When God shows up, it’s time to praise!

  I just have to share one more, because Jesus is just so wonderful to me and I believe you’ll like this point:

  Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:37-38 – NKJV

  Even on his way to the cross, the people couldn’t help but give Him praise. As He entered Jerusalem, a spirit of praise swept through the crowd and they shouted with a loud voice the same message that the angels shouted at His birth! A praise of glory to the Highest, and peace this time in heaven!! They took up the cry of the angels without realizing it. It was so loud, that it made the Pharisees angry to think that a man could receive that much praise! First peace came to earth and now peace was returning to heaven! This is pretty awesome!!

  Of course, I couldn’t mention all of my examples in this one blog. It would be much longer than what I generally like to do. However, as I wrote about one example, another would come to mind. Not just biblical examples, but personal examples, of friends and family members, and church family members, and the body of Christ! He has done great things for us, and when we stop to think about Him in all of His goodness, the Spirit of praise is going to come upon you!

  I know some of us are having a tough time right now, but this blog was written with that in mind. Isaiah wrote, in a scripture that speaks of Jesus, that we are to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. I won’t see my extended family this holiday season either, but I won’t let that get me down. I miss engaging with friends and family in person. I may never use zoom again when this is over, but today I am truly grateful for it! I can’t change anything about this holiday season except my attitude and outlook about it. And the same is true for you!

  Let’s embrace the spirit of praise that flows throughout this season. Sing your songs louder and longer. Dance around your bedroom or your home. Give Him glory for all that you can think of in your life and the lives of others, and soon the spirit of praise will be flowing through you! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, God, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, God, hard times, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, praise, Prayer, spirit of praise, testimony

• The Spirit of Christmas!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 7, 2020

  Matthew 1:18 – “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” NKJV

  

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  As we approach the Christmas season, I decided not to focus just on the birth of Jesus, but rather, on Jesus Himself. Whether you are a participant of the holiday season or a spectator, you have to admit that there is something exciting about this time of year. As much as we look forward to Thanksgiving Day, we immediately begin thinking that the holiday season has begun, meaning the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

  People begin decorating their homes and businesses, radio stations begin playing Christmas music all day long, and everyone begins vying for our money to become their money. Even with all that, we have the attitude of B. B. King, in his hit song, “Christmastime Comes But Once a Year!” This time of the year is so different from the rest of the year, that we have even heard much talk about the Spirit of Christmas. Today, I want to talk about the true Spirit of Christmas.

  In our text for today, Matthew summarizes the birth of Jesus in a few short verses. He writes that after the betrothal of Mary and Joseph, and before the wedding night, Mary is found with child of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t elaborate on what happened, he just tells us that it happened.

  Luke on the other hand goes into more detail. He lets us in on the visitation of the angel Gabriel to both Zachariah and Mary. Both visits are life altering for the individuals involved, but only one visit would impact the world for all eternity! The angel told Mary that she was about to become pregnant and give birth to a Son. Not just any son, but the Son of the Highest. His name was to be Jesus, He was going to be great, and He would be given the throne of His father David! Wow! That’s a lot for someone take in at one time. But Mary did it!

  Here’s where things get really interesting. Mary is single but not quite. She is an upright young woman and getting ready to finalize her betrothal to Joseph with culmination of the wedding night. God interrupts their plans and their lives to bring Jesus into the natural realm. This had to be pretty unsettling. Yet, all Mary wanted to know was how would it happen? The angel said,

  “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God! Luke 1:35

  The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, causing the Seed to be implanted in her womb, that she would bring forth the Son of God, in the flesh. The true Spirit of Christmas is not in the music, not in the decorations, nor in the excitement that permeates the atmosphere; it is in the Spirit of the Living God who gave life to Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit! Most men would have been outraged with the turn of these events, and Joseph was no exception! When Joseph did find out, he wanted out. But the Spirit of God was the Conductor of all that was transpiring. He knew He could trust these two young people with a difficult, never have ever happened, and never will ever happen again, event! Remember our key text, “she was found with child”. Joseph knew it wasn’t his child, and he had difficulty believing that she was pregnant by a means other than the natural channel. So much so, that he sought a private annulment of the marriage. But God spoke to Joseph in a dream and told him what the Holy Spirit had done to bring this baby about, and Joseph surrendered his will and his pride to the will of the Father. That had to be tough on these two, they knew people would talk, but Joseph took Mary immediately into his home and six months later, Jesus was born. You guys know we are forever doing the math! They were worst in Joseph’s and Mary’s day! The Spirit had a hard time keeping everything a secret. He was excited about Jesus coming into the earth. He told two of His faithful followers about this exciting birth! Simeon was one of them.

  Luke 2:26 – 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. NKJV

  So on the day that Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple, the Spirit caused Simeon to go to the temple at that exact moment. He not only saw Jesus, but he took Jesus in his arms and blessed God for letting him see Jesus before he departed the earth. Then Anna came in, at just the right moment, to witness the reality of the Messiah, her Savior. He had come to set His people free! Glorious day!

  Let’s go back to Jesus. He’s all grown up now, and has had at least 30 birthdays. He is getting ready to be released into ministry to accomplish the task God has set before Him.

  In John chapter 1, John the Baptist makes this declaration:

  John 1:32 – “And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.” NKJV

  The Spirit of Christmas, God’s Holy Spirit, wasn’t just available to Jesus at His birth. He was available to Jesus throughout His life. After all, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Father, was Jesus’ true Father. Therefore, before Jesus began His public ministry, His Father, once again, sends His Spirit to Him. This time, the Spirit doesn’t give Him life, but He releases an anointing upon Him to fulfill His assignment. Luke writes about it in Acts:

  Acts 10:38 – “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. NKJV

  All that Jesus accomplished in His physical body, He accomplished because of the Spirit of God that gave Him life, and anointed Him for ministry. His Spirit is just as active today, in His Bride, and in His Church.

  Too often when we think of Christmas, we forget or miss what God was really doing in bringing Jesus in the form of man. It was even more exciting at that time, then it is today. When Jesus was born, the angels were so excited they had to step into the earthly realm and shout,

  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, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:13-14 – NKJV

  The angels were excited about that first “Christmas” experience. They were excited about the greatest gift ever given, the gift of God, Jesus! They were excited from heaven’s perspective of all that He would accomplish for the Father. They were excited!

  I believe that even though Christmas has become so commercialized in our day, there is still excitement surrounding the commemoration of the birth of our Lord. It’s not His actual birth day, but it is when the Christian community and thus the world, remember it.

  As you celebrate Christmas this year, things will look different for most of us. Some of us will do what we want irrespective to what is happening with the virus. But most of us will comply, thereby, having a different kind of Christmas. The Spirit of Christmas, God’s Holy Spirit, is available to make this Christmas, one of the best, if not the best, you can imagine! Invite Him to you celebration and watch Him breathe life into your celebration! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 4 Comments | Tagged Believer, birth of Jesus, Christian, coronavirus, Elizabeth, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph, miraculous, Salvation, the Spirit of Christmas, Zachariah

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