Jesus came to both men and women that they might receive salvation. The Father God selected a person of each sex to announce the coming of the Messiah. Like the nation of Israel that had long awaited the arrival of Jesus, these two people had waited a very long time. Inspired by the Lord, Isaiah in 742 B.C. revealed unique signs about the way the Messiah would come to His people and to the world. Anna had Isaiah’s words and a personal divine revelation that her Lord was to appear. The spirit of prophecy had left Israel more than 300 years before then, but immediately before Jesus’ birth, it was revived. There are only three verses about this remarkable woman, but the verses are Spirit-filled.
"And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser(Asher): she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;.
"And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
"And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." (Luke 2:36-38)
Anna (whose name meant “gracious”) was a prophetess, a woman divinely inspired to speak God’s revelations. God, Who does not leave Himself without a witness, poured His Spirit on her. She was of the tribe of Asher, one of the northern tribes of Israel carried away as captives, but some of the tribe of Asher were not captured. Eventually much of the remnant of Asher had reunited with Judah and worshiped in Jerusalem.
She became a widow seven years after she married and had been serving the Lord at the temple for 84 years. If she had married at the age of 12, she would have been at least 103! Some scholars interpret the passage to mean she was 84. It was the practice at the temple to worship God continuously with fasting and prayer. (Psalm 134) She often took the night shift...amazing for 84 or 103 plus!
It was a glorious moment! While Simeon was proclaiming the Baby to be his Savior, Anna appeared from the background and thanked God for letting her see the Messiah. The old prophetess knew that the little baby was the One she had long awaited. She announced His arrival to the people who regularly flocked to the temple to pray for the deliverance of Jerusalem. Anna, Simeon, and a faithful core of believers were ready for the coming of the Lord!
What a beautiful woman Anna was! In her seasoned maturity, she had not grown weary of worshiping her beloved Lord. Her reverence brought her pleasure. Years and years passed while she observed the light of God’s glory moving closer in splendid brilliance. Then one day her great faith was rewarded by the vision of the Messiah, the joy of her desires. She responded by praising, rejoicing, and witnessing.
Anna realized that God loved her!
Quoted from Do You Know How God Loves You? The price of this book has been reduced on Amazon.com from $26.99 to $14.97.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Holding the Christ Child
“For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.” (Luke 2:30)
Forty days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple in Jerusalem for her purification and the Baby’s dedication. Like every other firstborn Jewish boy, He was dedicated to the Lord. They offered a sacrifice of either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
In Jerusalem, there was an old man named Simeon who carefully observed the laws of God and waited for their completion in the Person of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit guided him to the temple at the moment when Mary and Joseph arrived to present Jesus to the Father. His arrival at that moment was not a coincidence, and he did not simply happen to walk over to the right baby.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. (Luke 2:25-27)
Seeing Mary and Joseph there with Jesus, he immediately recognized his Lord, a tiny Baby. He took the Anointed One into his arms and blessed the Lord.
Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel.” (28-32)
Simeon recognized Jesus, the Person, as Salvation, and he thanked God. We know he was ready to die then, but we don’t know how much longer he lived.
Simeon told Mary that a sword would pierce her soul, and he shared some profound prophecy. He explained that Jesus was “a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel.” The order of words indicates that the Gentiles would first accept the Messiah. Later the Jews will trust Him when He returns as their King. Simeon predicted a reversal of the original order – a new revelation.
Later, Jesus would say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the only way. Some pagan beliefs suggest that it is enough to follow the teachings of Jesus as one of many ways to work out our own salvation. There are no “almost” Christians. What is important is that people believe in Jesus as their Savior. Believing in His teachings is not enough.
Non-Biblical traditions maintain that Simeon was the son of the famous Pharisee Hillel, who was known as a great teacher among the Jews. Also Simeon is believed to be the father of Gamaliel, the famous Jewish lawyer who taught the Apostle Paul. Although this information is fascinating, it does not matter who Simeon’s father and son were. What is important is that he recognized the Baby he held in his arms as the Son of God.
Quoted from Do You Know How God Loves You? The price of this book has been reduced on Amazon.com from $26.99 to $14.97.
Forty days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple in Jerusalem for her purification and the Baby’s dedication. Like every other firstborn Jewish boy, He was dedicated to the Lord. They offered a sacrifice of either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
In Jerusalem, there was an old man named Simeon who carefully observed the laws of God and waited for their completion in the Person of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit guided him to the temple at the moment when Mary and Joseph arrived to present Jesus to the Father. His arrival at that moment was not a coincidence, and he did not simply happen to walk over to the right baby.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. (Luke 2:25-27)
Seeing Mary and Joseph there with Jesus, he immediately recognized his Lord, a tiny Baby. He took the Anointed One into his arms and blessed the Lord.
Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel.” (28-32)
Simeon recognized Jesus, the Person, as Salvation, and he thanked God. We know he was ready to die then, but we don’t know how much longer he lived.
Simeon told Mary that a sword would pierce her soul, and he shared some profound prophecy. He explained that Jesus was “a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel.” The order of words indicates that the Gentiles would first accept the Messiah. Later the Jews will trust Him when He returns as their King. Simeon predicted a reversal of the original order – a new revelation.
Later, Jesus would say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the only way. Some pagan beliefs suggest that it is enough to follow the teachings of Jesus as one of many ways to work out our own salvation. There are no “almost” Christians. What is important is that people believe in Jesus as their Savior. Believing in His teachings is not enough.
Non-Biblical traditions maintain that Simeon was the son of the famous Pharisee Hillel, who was known as a great teacher among the Jews. Also Simeon is believed to be the father of Gamaliel, the famous Jewish lawyer who taught the Apostle Paul. Although this information is fascinating, it does not matter who Simeon’s father and son were. What is important is that he recognized the Baby he held in his arms as the Son of God.
Quoted from Do You Know How God Loves You? The price of this book has been reduced on Amazon.com from $26.99 to $14.97.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
The Most Unlikely Witnesses
Nowhere in the Bible is there a verse containing the birthday of Jesus. In the fourth century, the Western church (Roman Catholic) began celebrating Christmas on December 25. The Eastern church (Eastern Orthodox) celebrates it on January 6. The Biblical detail of shepherds watching their flocks fails to support either date because shepherds did not keep their flocks in the fields at night during the winter.
No one – not even church historians – can misconstrue the most important point of Christmas: Love descended to us. Angels sang to the shepherds in the fields about God’s divine love...glorious, sacred, holy...incarnate in a newborn baby filled with promise. Love is a gift, the endowment of the sovereign God. Love is the grace of God with its resultant grateful adoration of Him with an outflow of goodwill to all people.
On a quiet dark night the angels in their shining presence told the shepherds to go see the Savior. How strange that God would select them as witnesses! We enjoy the comparison of a shepherd to our God, and we love to contemplate the little shepherd boy David, who was anointed to be King of Israel by Samuel following God’s leading. Also we understand that a good shepherd would lay down his life for the sheep and that a sheep will follow only his master’s voice. The analogies that God uses are rich; most shepherds, however, were outcasts because they were unreliable. They were so accustomed to stealing and lying that they were not allowed to give testimony in courts of law. And here they are witnessing the arrival of the Messiah in a cattle stall.
From our God’s viewpoint, probability is not a law He follows. The amazing news for you is that He loved you enough to send Jesus to save you. All you have to do is believe the incredible story that the perfect God Man came and paid the blood sacrifice for your sin, arose from the dead, and went back to His Father to prepare a place for you. All you have to do is believe in repentance, but if believing seems impossible, ask Him to help your unbelief.
Having accepted the Lord’s salvation and received your commission to work for the Lord, you may not feel worthy, capable, interested, or motivated. God will take care of that. The God who sent a band of angels to sing a glorious announcement to a pack of shepherds lying on the ground under the stars...to send the shepherds to behold the most important Person who had ever been born...to tell them to spread the news of the Savior of the world...does not make mistakes. When He commissions you to do His bidding, realize that He in His infinite wisdom has not made His first mistake. He knows what He is doing and expects you to trust Him. Like the shepherds that night, run to be near Him.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (Luke 2:17-18)
Quoted from Do You Know How God Loves You? The price of this book has been reduced on Amazon.com from $26.99 to $14.97.
No one – not even church historians – can misconstrue the most important point of Christmas: Love descended to us. Angels sang to the shepherds in the fields about God’s divine love...glorious, sacred, holy...incarnate in a newborn baby filled with promise. Love is a gift, the endowment of the sovereign God. Love is the grace of God with its resultant grateful adoration of Him with an outflow of goodwill to all people.
On a quiet dark night the angels in their shining presence told the shepherds to go see the Savior. How strange that God would select them as witnesses! We enjoy the comparison of a shepherd to our God, and we love to contemplate the little shepherd boy David, who was anointed to be King of Israel by Samuel following God’s leading. Also we understand that a good shepherd would lay down his life for the sheep and that a sheep will follow only his master’s voice. The analogies that God uses are rich; most shepherds, however, were outcasts because they were unreliable. They were so accustomed to stealing and lying that they were not allowed to give testimony in courts of law. And here they are witnessing the arrival of the Messiah in a cattle stall.
From our God’s viewpoint, probability is not a law He follows. The amazing news for you is that He loved you enough to send Jesus to save you. All you have to do is believe the incredible story that the perfect God Man came and paid the blood sacrifice for your sin, arose from the dead, and went back to His Father to prepare a place for you. All you have to do is believe in repentance, but if believing seems impossible, ask Him to help your unbelief.
Having accepted the Lord’s salvation and received your commission to work for the Lord, you may not feel worthy, capable, interested, or motivated. God will take care of that. The God who sent a band of angels to sing a glorious announcement to a pack of shepherds lying on the ground under the stars...to send the shepherds to behold the most important Person who had ever been born...to tell them to spread the news of the Savior of the world...does not make mistakes. When He commissions you to do His bidding, realize that He in His infinite wisdom has not made His first mistake. He knows what He is doing and expects you to trust Him. Like the shepherds that night, run to be near Him.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (Luke 2:17-18)
Quoted from Do You Know How God Loves You? The price of this book has been reduced on Amazon.com from $26.99 to $14.97.
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