In this very busy time of the year...

This morning an old song came to my mind. I looked it up and here are the lyrics.

I want to share this, because it is so true! The Bible tells us that "in EVERY THING BY PRAYER":

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." - Philippians 4:6 KJV

Jesus does not want us to stress in this very busy time of the year. He wants us to ask Him for help with EVERYTHING.

And the next verse! AFTER we do the first verse:

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7 KJV

It is wisdom, when we are having difficulties with our co-workers, brothers or sisters in the Lord, family or friends, the FIRST person we need to take it to is JESUS. Think about it...He is the One that can take care of EVERY situation, EVERY need, EVERY problem, even the desires of our heart!

Here are the lyrics:

Jesus on the mainline

Tell Him what you want

Jesus on the mainline

Tell Him what you want

Jesus on the mainline

Tell Him what you want

Jesus on the mainline now

If you need a healing

Tell Him what you want

If you need a healing

Tell Him what you want

If you need a healing

Just tell Him what you want

Jesus on that mainline now

If you need the Holy Ghost...

If you want revival...

You just call Him up, call Him up

Tell Him what you want

You call Him up, call Him up

Tell Him what you want

You have to call Him up, call Him up

Tell Him what you want

Jesus on that mainline now

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh - Part 1

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." - Matthew 2:1-2 KJV

The three gifts that the wise men brought Jesus spoke of His identity, His mission, and His future.

One of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus was gold – gold for a King.

Herod demanded where Christ should be born -

"And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel." - Matthew 2:5-6 KJV

Micah prophesied – the Eternal Father manifest in flesh.

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." - Micah 5:2 KJV

Isaiah prophesied -

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever..." - Isaiah 9:6-7 KJV

Herod sent them to Bethlehem.

"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." - Matthew 2:11 KJV

"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." - Luke 1:32-33 KJV

Church! And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 Church!!

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it was to shepherds that the Lord announced His birth.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” - Luke 2:8-11 KJV

The word for “good tidings” is “euangelizō.” This word is also translated as “preaching” and “gospel.”

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." - Luke 2:15 KJV

The shepherds were true witnesses.

"And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." - Luke 2:16-17 KJV

They preached the message that the Lord made known to them.

"And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds." - Luke 2:18 KJV

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." - Luke 2:20 KJV

The message to shepherds today –

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." - Acts 20:28 KJV

The message to us, the sheep of His pasture –

"Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." - Psalm 100:3 KJV

"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." - Jeremiah 3:15 KJV

REJOICE!!

The BIBLE says THE HEAVENS REJOICED at the BIRTH OF CHRIST!!

 At THE BIRTH OF JESUS, the ANGEL OF THE LORD brought GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY which shall be to ALL PEOPLE!! (Luke 2:10)

 At the BIRTH OF JESUS, 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, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN!! (Luke 2:13-14)

 "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." - Luke 2:20 KJV

 *Glorifying: “to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate: for something, Luke 2:20” (According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).

 REJOICE!!

Forgiveness of sins at water baptism in the name of Jesus, not at repentance

Our sins are forgiven when the blood of Jesus is applied to our life in water baptism in the name of Jesus. Our sins are not forgiven at repentance, because there is no blood applied at repentance.

Jesus gave the church the power to forgive sins by water baptism through the name of Jesus.

"But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

“And he arose, and departed to his house.

"But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." - Matthew 9:6-8 KJV

Here we see that Jesus gave power to men to forgive sins. Jesus refers to this later on in Matthew in His great commission.

Jesus said ALL POWER was given unto Him. Power to forgive sins. Go ye THEREFORE and BAPTISE. Baptizing to forgive sins. Matthew 28:18-19.

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" - Matthew 28:18-19 KJV (The NAME of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is JESUS.)

As was said earlier in Matthew, God gave men power to forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins takes place in baptism through the name of Jesus.

Jesus gave this power to remit sins to His disciples.

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." - John 20:21-23 KJV (Remit means to forgive).

On the Day of Pentecost when the church began, Peter preached sins are forgiven by baptism in the name of Jesus. “FOR the remission of sins.”

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

Thou shalt call His name JESUS: for he shall save His people from their sins

 

The power of the Highest, God, overshadowed Mary so that she conceived in her womb and brought forth a son. She called His name JESUS, as the angel Gabriel told her to. (Luke 1:26-35).

"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." - Luke 1:32-33 KJV

The angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream.

"Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:20-21 KJV

"Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." - Matthew 1:22-23 KJV

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." - Titus 2:11-14 KJV

Peter preached how we can apply the blood of Jesus to our life to purify us and remit our sins. The Holy Ghost then becomes our promise for us to receive to sanctify us and make us holy. (Romans 15:16, 1Corinthians 6:9-11).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV

A manger - And this shall be a sign unto you

"And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger". - Luke 2:12

What is the manger a sign of?

Isaiah saw a vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." - Isaiah 1:2 KJV

Another word for "manger" is "crib."

"The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider". Isaiah 1:3

God gave Isaiah a vision of His coming. While the ox and donkey recognize their master, Israel did not recognize their God that cared for them. The manger was a sign.

"He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

God came to bring salvation.

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." - Isaiah 1:18 KJV (Isaiah 1:19-20).

God came in the form of man so that He could shed blood for our redemption. He came to pay the price that only He could pay – sinless blood – to pay for our sins.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God". - John 1:10-13

Those that receive Jesus, believing that He is God - Creator and Savior – are able to be born again of water and of the Spirit to have our sins washed away. Though our sins were scarlet, by the blood of Jesus and by His name, they are white as snow. By the power of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, we are able to keep victory over sin. (Acts 17:2, Acts 18:4, Acts 24:25).  

This is what Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV