August 2  2008

The Dedication of Christ

By: Timothy E. Davis

 “The child’s mother and father marveled at what was said about him.  The Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother,” this child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel , and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.’ Luke 2:33-36 (TLB)

  Mary and Joseph have gone to the temple to dedicate Jesus to the lord.  It was required by the law of moses that every firstborn son be dedicated to Jehovah.  Even though they knew of the future of their son, and who he was going to grow up to be, they still followed the Jewish laws on circumcision and female purity after the birth of a child.

 Surely their hearts would have been brimming with pride; hearing such glorious things being said by the prophets and their little baby, just eight days old.  The tiny Redeemer, messiah, King of kings, and the son of almighty god.

 But Mary also received the news that she would lose her first born son in a terrible and painful way. (A sword shall pierce your own soul, too. Luke 2:35 (TLB)    This foreshadowed the agony of Christ on the cross, as mary stood there and watched the life slowly fade from her tortured and abused son's Murder.  even as she wept, she took comfort in knowing his kingdom was not ending, but would extend for eternity.
 

Jesus bought your freedom at a great price.  Your forgiveness and right standing with God was paid for with his lifeblood.  It soaked into the arrid ground of Mount Calvary almost 2008 years ago, and has been cleansing the hearts of believers ever since.  There is one who stands between us and Paradise.  He is the Son of Almighty God, Jesus Christ.  Won't you ask Him to forgive your sins today?  You have no promise of tommorow.
 

 Daily Manna July 9

 

Walking Deep In The Shadows

By: Timothy E. Davis

 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

 

  Our lives are not guaranteed to be trouble free. You did not sign a contract with God in which He promised to only send you wine and chocolates.  To borrow from an old seventies song, Jehovah never promised you a rose garden. We will all  have seasons when we must walk in the dark and deep shadows.

We will feel abandoned by our King, alone, and uncertain.

 

But He has given us a promise for all eternity.  A promise that never expires, a covenant never to be altered.  In  Deuteronomy 31:8,  we are told "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."   No, the Master has not promised we will never have to walk in the long, dark, shadows, but He has given His inalterable Word we will not be walking through them alone

    

 

   Jesus: The Key to Eternal Life

By: Timothy E. Davis

                                            
"I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am
alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death
and Hades."  Revelation 1:18 (NIV)

I think everyone has shared the experience of standing
in the rain, at night, going through the keys,
desperately trying to find one that fits the door.
You may have a lot of keys that look like the door
key, but they do not fit.  There is only one key that
is the right key, and, once you find it, you do not
have to look anymore.

Christ is the key to the gates of Heaven.  We are
issued this key after we do two things.  First,
accepting Messiah's death on the cross as the free
gift that reconciles us with the Father, and washes
away all our sins, with the blood of Jesus.  Secondly,
we must accept the Master's broken and beaten body, as
the clothes that cover our sinfulness.  Once these two
things are done, our standing with the Father is
reconciled, our sins are remembered no more. 

God scatters them as far away as the east is from the
west, and no longer sees us as sinners who anger him,
but as children that love him. Then we know that we
hold the key to the riches and glories of Heaven, and
we can stop wasting time with all the keys that don't
fit.

                                   


     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            

   

 

 

 

 


 


 

                                                                                                                         

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         

 

Wisdom: A Free Gift from the Lord To All Who Ask

 

                                               By: Timothy E. Davis

Then he continued "Be strong and courageous and get to work! Don't be frightened by the size of the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you, He will not forsake you."    I Chronicles 28:20  (TLB)

 

King David's amazing rein over Israel is coming to an end.  God's people in Judah and Israel have been united through almost all of his reign.  King David had torn down idols from one side of the country to another.  He had  sent his men into many bloody battles, and led many of them himself, as they slowly drove out the people who occupied the land God had given them.  And now he is encouraging Solomon, the King who will replace him as Israel's King, to build a Temple to securely house the Ark of the Covenent.

Has God ever given you a task to complete, but you can not get it done without his help?  God does not assign us difficult things to do and then dissappear into Heaven, saying basically, you figure out how to do it.  He does not go sit on a cloud and watch you fail and laugh, as you stunble,  No, No, and No!  When Jehovah gives us an assignment, he gives us the means to accomplish it.  Yes, it is too hard for you.  God did not tell you to do it all yourself.    With God, all things are possible!

Do we always call on God to help us, or do we tell the Father that we don't need his help, thanks for asking?   The Lord never, ever, gives us more than we can handle.  Like God told King David ,we should not keep looking at the size of the job,  for the King is with us every single day guiding us, supporting us, and assuring us that we can complete any good works in His name and for His Glory!

 

 Copyright 2007 Spotless Lamb Ministries, Inc.  Please  prayerfully consider logging on http://www.spotlesslamb.org and send us a buck, it will be greatly appreciated. This article may be freely reused and republished, for non-commercial purposes only, as long as Copyright 2007 Spotless Lamb Ministries, Inc. notice stays, the length remains the same, the by-line stays, any links stay, and the support request stays.

 

 

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