PREPARE FOR SOMETHING NEW

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In Christ, Mark

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It’s day number 365 of 2016, the last day of the year and soon we’ll be into 2017. We’re leaving a lot in our rear view mirror but possibly we’re carrying some things over the threshold and into the year ahead. Nonetheless, the new year always offers us a chance for fresh starts and opportunities, a chance to be as new as the year is.

With that idea in mind, I want to share with you five things from the word of God that point to ways we can become new, ways we can prepare our hearts for as we get set for 2017.

                                                                

1. Anticipate a new song or songs.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Psalm 40:3a

I love Christian music. All of it.

I love classic hymns and I love the new contemporary Christian music. I can’t get enough of hearing songs that worship and glorify the Lord.

With this, there will be a lot of new songs come out this year as there always is. Many of them will be ones I will find myself singing in my car, in the shower, in church, anywhere I am, songs that bring praise to the Lord God Almighty.

I don’t know what Christian music is coming in 2017 but I can’t wait for it to bless my heart. I pray you are anxiously awaiting it as well.

And if you have never listened to Christian music, I invite you to give it a try. Pandora has a great Contemporary Christian music channel or you could tune into KLove either in your area or online. Either way, Christian music could bring you new songs to listen to in the new year, songs that will touch your soul and bless your heart.

2. Anticipate a new announcement.

See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you. Isaiah 42:9

Every time I read the word of God (and I do it every day without fail), the Lord teaches me something new. In fact, I am launching a new effort through this ministry called “Five Things I Learned from the Word of God Today” in 2017, sharing with others what the Lord is revealing to me through the scriptures.

For no matter how many times you read the Bible, the Lord will speak to you in new ways, always making fresh announcements that bring meaning and substance to life. Anyone who does it regularly will testify to that.

The prophets were always receiving words from God about what was to come, declaring new things to them. He’s doing the same to us today through His word and Spirit. Seek Him and He will announce truths to you in the year ahead.

You can trust in that.

3. Anticipate having a new heart and spirit.

Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Ezekiel 18:31a

Maybe coming into the new year is the perfect time for you to get right with the Lord. Perhaps you are carrying around the guilt of sins you may have committed in the past, guilt that hangs around your neck and weighs you down every day.

In 2017, why not just confess your sins to the Lord and ask Him to give you a new heart and spirit?

Why not give yourself fully to the cause of living as Jesus did, the One who gave up everything, including His life, to save you?

The Lord is standing by and ready to make you new in every way, to make you a new creation if you are coming to Him for the first time (2 Corinthians 5:17) or to refresh you and wash you clean if you were in Him but strayed away.

Don’t let one day go by in 2017 before getting yourself right with the Lord. It’s the only way to get the year started in the right way.

4. Anticipate new mercies.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)

It’s perhaps the greatest nature of the Lord that we take for granted the most.

I’m talking about His mercy and compassion.

We often go through each day and never thank Him for the simple gift of life itself. Maybe it’s because we forget that we don’t deserve it because of the sinners we all are.

Indeed, the Bible reminds us of that part of ourselves we seem to conveniently ignore:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

No one deserves His favor. All deserve His destruction. And yet, here we are. I am writing today and you will read it when the Lord guides you to these words. We’re not here because the Lord has somehow overlooked our transgressions. He never loses sight of the wrongs we have committed.

But we are here because God is merciful and compassionate, loving His children so much that He didn’t wish for them to perish but rather be saved from their sins. And so He gave up His only Son to be crucified as a sin sacrifice to bear the punishment everyone else had earned.

Now everyone who believes in Jesus as Savior will have salvation. Indeed, it was of the Lord’s mercy that we weren’t consumed and those mercies are new every morning we awake.

In 2017, let’s start every day with thanks for the compassion that allows us life, not just today but forever more through Christ.

5. Anticipate/celebrate new life.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4

As we acknowledge that the Lord’s mercies and compassions are indeed new every day, when we recognize that the Lord will speak fresh to us through His word, when we seek to hear new songs that bring us to a place of praise, and when we ensure our hearts and spirits are right with Him, then we can enter the new year with a renewed sense of life, either gaining salvation for the first time or rekindling the joy we should have if we’ve already been saved.

For through Christ Jesus, who conquered death and the grave to rise into new life, we too will have victory over death through Him for we are more than conquerors when we receive and accept Him as Savior.

Friends, that alone is reason to enter the new year with celebration and anticipation. I pray it will be that way for you and yours.

See you next year!

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

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ESCAPING SALVATION'S THREAT

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com.

In Christ, Mark

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** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”

Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

Matthew 2:7, 12-16  

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

The wise men had found Jesus, the baby born as the Messiah in Bethlehem. It was a time of great joy for the Magi who had journeyed so far to worship this newborn King of the Jews, bringing their best gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor Him. As they finished their visit, surely they remembered the request of the Roman king, Herod, who asked them to return to Jerusalem to tell him where the Messiah was so he too could go and worship Him.

As they slept that night, preparing for the long journey home through Jerusalem, the scriptures tell us that God warned them in their dreams to not go back to Herod. There is no specific mention of reasoning given to the Magi but they were wise enough to listen to the direction they received and “returned to their country by another route”.

Meanwhile, Herod waited and waited and waited for the Magi, anxiously anticipating the opportunity to rid himself of this potential challenger in Bethlehem. You see, he had no interest in worshiping Jesus; rather, he wanted to murder him. For if he killed this baby before it had a chance to even take its first step, then the King of the Jews, the long awaited Messiah of the Israelite people he ruled over would be dead. There would be no need to worry about a future threat to Roman authority because the threat would be dead.

And so Herod waited.

While he waited, God was still at work. Not only had he thwarted Herod’s plan to kill Jesus by sending the Magi home without stopping in Jerusalem but we read where he sent another angel to Joseph right after the Magi had departed. As Joseph dreamed, the angel gave him specific directions. He was to take Mary and Jesus, escaping with them to Egypt because King Herod was going to search for Jesus with the intent of killing Him. And so Joseph awoke immediately and took Mary and Jesus to Egypt under the cover of night. They would remain there safe from harm until Herod died and in doing so fulfill the words of the prophet Hosea who prophesied God saying:

“When Israel was a child, I loved Him, and out of Egypt I called My Son.” Hosea 11:1  

Unfortunately, Jesus was the only young child to escape Herod’s lunacy in Bethlehem. For the scriptures tell us that after realizing the Magi were not returning to Jerusalem, foiling his initial plan, Herod ordered all boys two years and younger in Bethlehem and its vicinity, an act that was carried out also fulfilling a prophecy, this one from Jeremiah:

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”  Jeremiah 31:15

Jesus had escaped Roman treachery, at least for the moment. Salvation had come but its death, ironically at the hands of the Romans some 33 years later, would come at God’s appointed time to fulfill His specific plan, just as did everything we have covered through our study of the glorious Christmas coming of our Savior Jesus. I pray you have enjoyed this series.

Tomorrow, we begin to look toward the coming year with two New Year’s related devotions. Have a blessed day wherever you may be in the world.  

Amen

In Christ,

Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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HONORING SALVATION

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com.

In Christ, Mark

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** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:7-11

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

It had been a long journey for the Magi as they sought the long predicted Messiah, the one who had been said would be the King of the Jews. They had followed a star as they traveled from east to west, finally reaching Jerusalem, the place where the new royalty would most likely be.

As we saw in yesterday’s devotion, the men inquired throughout the city as to where they might find the newborn King of the Jews, unknowing that no one would understand what they were asking about. You see, no one in Jerusalem would have knowledge that Jesus had been born just to the south of them in Bethlehem. Word spread quickly around the city and so it didn’t take long for Herod, the Roman king of Judea who ruled out of Jerusalem, to be told about the Magi’s inquiry.

Alarmed at the news of a king who may rally the Jews against the Roman oppression, Herod called all his chief priests and teachers of the law to ask them about where the Messiah was to be born. They shared with him the words of the prophet Micah who had foretold the birth to be in Bethlehem. Armed with the information, Herod summoned the Magi to meet with him as we see in today’s scripture passage:

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.” (Vv. 7-8)

On the surface, Herod seemed sincere in his interest of Jesus, making it appear to the Magi that he was only interested in worshiping Him as they were. But as we will see in tomorrow’s devotion, the Roman king’s intention had nothing to do with giving adoration and reverence to the Messiah.

Meanwhile, the Magi went on their way, continuing to follow the star as it led them south of Jerusalem and right to Bethlehem where Jesus was. Look again at the remaining verses of our scripture passage for today:

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  (Vv. 9-11)

Note the Magi were overjoyed when the star came to rest over Bethlehem. Imagine if you were in their place. You had covered many, many miles with no assurance you would find the one you were looking for. You thought you had finished your search in Jerusalem only to find out you weren’t quite there yet. There was still some distance to cover.

But now, now you had made it. You would be able to see the prophecies come alive in the form of this baby who had been spoken of generations prior, the babe who was born to be the King of the Jews. Anyone would be ecstatic over that.

Now imagine Mary caring for Jesus and once again receiving strangers seeking to see her son, this time bearing gifts as they honored the one through which salvation had come. For after bowing down to worship the baby Jesus, the Magi opened up the treasures they had brought and presented the Messiah with “gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh”.

The Magi brought only their best for Jesus as they gave them their fullest respect and praise. As we seek to honor the Savior through which our salvation came, we need to follow their lead and give Jesus our all, serving Him with our very finest gifts, sacrificing for Him as He would grow up to sacrifice for us.  

Amen

In Christ,

Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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SEEKING SALVATION

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.”

When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:”

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Matthew 2:1-6

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Joseph and Mary had received a surprise visit from an unlikely group of people, the shepherds who had rushed into Bethlehem after being in the audience of a company of angels declaring the Messiah’s birth. They had been the first ones God announced Jesus’ coming to and after they had seen Jesus themselves, they went around the town telling everyone about what had happened and the scriptures tell us that the people hearing the story were amazed.

There is little doubt that others followed the lead of the shepherds and went to the lowly stable to see and honor this newborn babe who had been prophesied as coming for generations. Many came seeking to see salvation that had come in the form of this Savior lying in a manger.

Well, as we see in today’s scripture passage and our continuing look at the wonder of the Christmas story, there were others who were seeking to find the Messiah, a group called the Magi who had traveled far from the east in their quest. Look again at our scripture passage for today:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.”

When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:”

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”  Matthew 2:1-6

Jerusalem was the city at the heart of Israelite worship and holiness, the crown jewel of the nation. If you were looking for a leader of any prominence, you would find them within the fortified walls of Jerusalem. This is why the Magi went there first. Obviously schooled in astronomy, the men had been following a star that had appeared, a star they believed indicated where the Messiah had been born. And having been versed in the prophecies about this coming Savior, they believed the baby they sought was born the King of the Jews, and where else would you look for a King of the Jews than in Jerusalem.

And so the Magi entered the city and began to inquire about where they could find the King as they wanted to worship Him. Word traveled fast through the city and it didn’t take long before word reached Herod, the Roman king of Judea, who became alarmed at the news. After all, he was in charge of keeping the Israelites in line under Roman authority and could not afford having any person rally the Israelites to revolt as an emerging King of the Jews might do.

Trying to get out in front of the matter before he entertained the Magi, we read where Herod summoned “all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law” asking them “where the Messiah was to be born.” The men who were very knowledgeable in all the Hebrew prophecies told the king that the Messiah was born in Bethlehem, a town just to the south of Jerusalem and within Herod’s jurisdiction. They shared the following words that had been spoken by the prophet Micah:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Micah 5:2

Seeking the Messiah, the Magi believed he would be found in Jerusalem. Through the shared words of the prophet, Herod knew the Messiah was born in Bethlehem, the place where anyone seeking the baby could find him. It didn’t take long for Herod to see how he could use the unsuspecting Magi to fulfill his evil purposes.

Tune in over the next few days to see how the story unfolds.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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