12-15/16-2018 Take It Through The Week

Monday – Micah 5:2 His origin is from antiquity, from eternity… There’s something we
all love about a well-made antique. Something from generations gone by. Typically, it
was made with better materials. Maybe it was even manufactured using a different
process than today. But even more importantly, it has history. It has a story. One that
existed before us and, if we take care of that antique, it will be valuable to someone
else after us. Jesus is like that, only more so. His origin is from antiquity. And yet He
was to be born of a virgin, so He came from you. He was fully God, existing from the
foundation of the world, and also fully man, being born of a virgin…in Bethlehem. The
most important one ever born, born in the most unimportant place imaginable. But
born in the perfect place in time, a time ordained in the halls of eternity. Born at a time
of God’s choosing, so that you could know God. His origin is from antiquity, from
eternity. Pray with me. Precious Lord Jesus, thank You for leaving eternity, to bring
me the hope of eternal life. Your sacrifice brings us life. Thank You for being born in
Bethlehem. Thank You for Your life. Thank You for Your precious gift to us. You are
the reason for the season. In Jesus Name, I pray Amen.
Tuesday – Genesis 3:15 Have you ever had hostility between you and someone
else? Sometimes there are situations that can’t be resolved. The other person is simply
not willing. And because of that, a barrier exists between you and that other person. In
the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve chose to sin. Because of original sin, life in the
Garden of Eden changed. One of the things that happened, changed life for every man,
woman, and child, that has lived since then. I will put hostility between you and the
woman. God was cursing Satan. From this point forward Satan would be the enemy of
every man. This hostility would result in wars, crimes, lies, and false religions, until the
time when all curses are revoked. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.
This is the first prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus being born of a virgin. He will strike
your head… On the cross, Jesus crushed the power of Satan. He crushed all the plans
of Satan. Jesus literally crushed the head of Satan. And what can Satan do? Nothing.
His fate is sealed, the future is inevitable. …you will strike his heel. Even in Jesus’ day,
the heel was covered by a sandal. To be struck in the heel would have no effect. So
Jesus destroyed all the power of Satan, and Satan could do nothing about it. Even
today, all Satan can do is lie to man. Of course, Jesus has destroyed even the power of
those lies. Because He is the Truth. Take a moment and ask the Lord to show you His
Truth. Ask Him your spiritual questions. Ask Him to defend you and your family from the
evil one. Jesus will hear you.
Wednesday – Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you. God gave promises to
Abraham. Those promises extend to you and I. Did you know that if you follow the
Lord with all of your heart, you become a source of blessing to all those around you?
You see God promised to bless those who bless you… Because you love Him, you
can be a source of blessing to those who love you. The key is to love the Lord first,
with all your heart. Then you can be a source of blessing for those around you. Take a
moment and write down three names of people you love and care about. Ask God to
bless them and to make their lives better.
Thursday – Luke 1:30-33 Some denominations assign Mary, the mother of Jesus, a
sense of deity. We don’t pray to Mary. She can’t grant prayers. But we do need to
understand that she found favor with God. That means she is a hero of the faith, not
someone to be prayed to. However, we need to thank God for Mary’s resolve and
understanding. She understood that God was going to use her to bless all mankind.
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be
great and will be called the Son of the Most High… That part of God’s promise to Mary
sounded great. Can you imagine how her heart jumped as she heard the angel of God
tell of her son’s greatness. However, the road to the cross and the Resurrection would
not be filled with the same types of moments. Truly, as God’s plan for Jesus unfolded,
there would be many moments of pain and suffering as she saw what Jesus suffered.
The road to Jesus’ greatness was paved with rejection and sorrow. He was indeed a
man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Mary continued with Jesus through every
part of His life. She was even at the cross. And we are not told specifically, but yes,
she was with the other believers when they heard of His Resurrection. Can you
imagine at that point, how her heart jumped, when she heard of Jesus’ true greatness?
The true Son of God raised from the dead. No, we don’t pray to Mary, but we thank
God for her. For the way God used her and for her steadfast love of our Savior.
Friday – Psalms 90:1-2 Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation…from
eternity to eternity. Humanity from God’s perspective? We are moving through our time
in this world to determine our eternal destination. Before time began, God planned our
time so that we would have the best opportunity to accept Him, and move into the next
eternity. There was an eternity before time. There will be an eternity after time. And in
between… You have been our refuge in every generation. He is always willing for any
of us to take refuge in Him at any time in our lives. And He is willing to do that for
milennials, Gen y, Baby Busters, and Baby Boomers. So whoever you are and
wherever you are in your journey, God loves you. Take a few moments and consider
the love of God. Thank Him for His mercies and grace toward you and your family.
Saturday – Col. 1:17 The next time you see a sunrise, think about this. Jesus existed
before the very first sunrise. And when you next get a chance to see a beautiful, clear
starry night, consider this. Before that light began it’s journey, to travel across light
years of empty space, Jesus existed. He is before all things… means that He existed
before anything was spoken into creation. And by Him all things hold together. He is
the “theory of everything” , that scientists today seek. They seek one scientific
discovery, one law, that pulls every other law together and explains the universe. They
call it the “theory of everything”. Yep, that is a term you can look up. It is the holy grail
of science. But the Bible says that Jesus is that. By Him all things hold together.
Everything that you seek today, is in Jesus. All you need now or ever will need, is in
Jesus. So this Christmas, take your Bible and read the Christmas story from Luke 2 to
your family. Then read them Col. 1:17. Begin a Christmas tradition that truly makes
Jesus, the reason for the season.