In case you forget, here’s a reminder:

The Verse of the Day for May 18, 2023, on Biblegate.com comes from the Book of Hebrews where we find a reminder of who God is not as well as who God is:

Hebrews 6:10 (New Living Translation):

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

The opening phrase makes known that God is not unjust. On the contrary, God is just. One translation of the first part of Hebrews 6:10 states, “God is fair . . .” The Psalmist declares, “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

Psalm 145:17 (AMP) notes:

The Lord is [unwaveringly] righteous in all His ways and gracious and kind in all His works.

Deuteronomy 32:4 (NKJV) says this:

He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.

The Verse of the Day goes on to say “For God is not unjust so as to forget. . .” How well we have come to learn that God does not forget, except He does not remember our sins and shortcomings, as Hebrews 10:17 (AMP) reminds us that in certain areas of our lives God has “selective amnesia”:

“And their sins and their lawless acts I will remember no more [no longer holding their sins against them].”

Hebrews 8:12 (AMP) reiterates this message:’

“For I will be merciful and gracious toward their wickedness, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Though God does not remember our sins and iniquity, He is mindful of us and does remember this:

He has given food to those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence]; He will remember His covenant forever.

Ezekiel 16:60 (AMP) makes known God’s covenant relationship with His people:

[The Covenant Remembered] “Nevertheless, I will remember [with compassion] my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

As believers we endeavor to serve God and minister to one another, but we must remember this: Our efforts may not always be recognized nor appreciated. Those whom we serve in love may not always remember what we say and do, but we are assured that God never forgets. Not only is God, our Father, faithful and just, but He is also a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

The Verse of the Day inspired this original psalm:

A Reminder: God Is Faithful

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love,   

which you have shown toward his name,        

in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister.

 Hebrews 6:10

The good deeds that you have done may not be extolled

When the fervor of God’s love has long since grown cold.

Some quickly forget all the good that you have done

And fail to recall that you were the only one

To answer the call, seek the Lord, and intercede.

Time after time you were the one to meet the need.

When others were busy and chose to walk away,

You were there and remained in the thick of the fray.

In dark times when words of thanks are distant memories,

Recall that God knows all things, for He alone sees

Your labor and saves all the tears that you have shed.

Our Father is ever mindful of how you serve,

And He shall reward you beyond all you deserve.

As you strive to finish your course, have no regret:

Our God is faithful–He will never forget.

This medley from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir musically reinforces the message of the Verse of the Day: He’s Been Faithful and Great is Thy Faithfulness:

Grow up, speak the truth in love: A more mature expression of Christ

The Verse of the Day for Biblegateway.com comes from Ephesians 4:15, but to understand the context more fully, we will take a look at the preceding verse as well which relates to our being members of the Body of Christ in Ephesians 4:14-15 in the New Living Translation:

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. ¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Throughout the New Testament believers are exhorted not only to speak the truth in love but to walk in love, to demonstrate or manifest love, to put on love. Love is to be the guiding principle in all that we say or do. 

A previous blog entry encouraged us to follow the Scriptures, whereby we “put off, put on, and put away.” Here is an excerpt from that post:

Colossians 3:12-14 in the New Living Translation speaks of how believers should behave:

¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Poetically speaking, we are directed to

Put off the old. Put on the new and leave the past behind.

Follow Christ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

As believers, we are encouraged to change our minds and develop new thinking patterns. We are to put off the old man and put on the new man, as we put away lying or any other ungodly practices.  Instead of continuing in the direction that habitually takes us away from the presence of God, our lives should be moving in this direction:

Toward a Mature Expression of Christ

But speaking the truth in love [in all things—

both our speech and our lives expressing His truth],

let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.

Ephesians 4:13

With the doctrine established in our younger years,

As we live, maturity should be evident,

For perfected love dispels all our doubts and fears,

Having heard God’s Word and then knowing what it meant.

As we fully mature in Christ, we seek to please

The Lord who watches to see what kind of steward

We have become. As our all-wise Father, He sees

Not just the outward appearance but the inward

Thoughts and motives of the hearts of daughters and sons

Who are no longer children looking to be fed

But as new creations in Christ, His chosen ones,

Not as carnal, we choose to speak the truth in love instead.

Toward a mature expression of Christ, we must strive

And pursue it with passion until we arrive.

We close with Ephesians 4:14-15 Lyric Video featuring Songs from the Loop:

We are fools for Christ’s sake: Not just on April 1

This morning as I completed my Bible reading for the day, I read the account of David who was being pursued by King Saul who was seeking to kill him. As he escaped, David encountered King Achish of Gath, the leader of the Philistines whom David had previously defeated when he killed Goliath. When  David realized he was in enemy territory, he “pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.” King Achish responded, “Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here. Why should I let someone like this be my guest?” ( 1 Samuel 19:12-15 NLT). Most remarkably, King David escapes from the clutches of the enemy by “playing the fool.”

This passage reminds me of a previous blog entry which I revised and reposted on April Fool’s Day, 2023.

The story is told of a man who wore a sandwich board in New York City as he walked the streets. On the front written in bold letters was this statement:  “I’m a fool for Christ’s  sake!”  People passed and chuckled or snickered, but they changed their expressions when they turned around to read the back of the sign which asked,  “Whose fool are you?”

This story brings to mind the words of the Apostle Paul who reminds believers: “We are fools for Christ’s sake.”

The lyrics to the chorus of the popular song “Everybody Plays the Fool” also remind us of this truth:

Everybody plays the fool sometime

There’s no exception to the rule

Listen, baby, it may be factual, may be cruel

I ain’t lyin’, everybody plays the fool

Since everybody plays the fool sometime in life and in love, many of us have decided that, like the gentleman in New York, we will be fools  for Christ’s sake, since the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men,” so say the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 1:25).

As the weeks unfold leading up to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we encounter a situation that contrasts the ways of men who purport themselves to be wise, and the ways of God who uses foolishness to confound the wise:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written:  “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

The whole idea of being a “fool for Christ’s sake” on April Fool’s Day reminds me of this poetic portrait written in the form a “mad song”:

My Mad Song

We are fools for Christ’s sake,

but you are wise in Christ!

We are weak, but ye are strong!

You are distinguished, but we are dishonored.

I Corinthians 4:10

I am stark raving mad as a gitsy;

I am insane and crazy as a loon.

Though my voice is stronger,

My lyrics are wronger.

My mad song is plainly out of tune

(But all the while I smile).

I am a rare and bizarre exception

Who loves to laugh out loud and cry.

My mind borders hysterical

Each day I see a miracle.

I live on earth with my home in the sky

(And all the while I smile).

I make my point with certainty–

Another fact that clearly shows

That I am deceived or naiver,

With the mind of a child, a believer

Who knows that he knows that he knows

(Why all the while I smile).

So I still dream my dreams and live

My life in such a simple style.

The world wants to eat me for supper,

But I just laugh and keep the upper

Hand and keep walking mile by mile

(As all the while I smile).

They call me kook, fanatic, and fool

Because of my peculiar knack.

Some folks think me still odder

Because I talk with God, my Father,                                

And furthermore, yes, He talks back

(And all the while I smile).

All of this is food for thought on April Fool’s Day, 2023.

Helen Yousaf closes this music reminder: “Fools for Christ”:

The Lord is My Shepherd: A Mighty Good One

The Verse of the Day for March 17, 2023, comes from Psalm 23:1-3,  one of the most recognized and recited passages in the Old Testament:

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. (New Living Translation)

Additional specific qualities of “the good shepherd” we find in the remaining verses of Psalm 23, one of my favorite psalms that I committed to memory as a youngster, and I continue to draw strength from this cherished Psalm of David:

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

In the Gospel of John, we find seven metaphors used by Jesus Christ to describe himself in order that his followers might understand to an even greater degree who he is and what he came to do. He speaks of himself in this way in John 10:14-15:

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knows me, even so, know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

The second metaphorical reference to Jesus in John 10:11: states,

“I am the good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

This indicates that the shepherd is fully committed to his sheep and consequently has their full trust. The good shepherd cares so much for his sheep that he is even willing to lay down his life for the sheep, as this phrase is used three times in the sheepfold discourse.

John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 10:14

“I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me,

We close with a beautiful, musical illustration of Psalm 23: “Like a Shepherd, He Leads Us”:

It is certainly comforting to know that Lord, indeed, is our shepherd and that he is a mighty good one.

Like Caleb: A reminder of God’s Promises

This morning as I completed my morning devotional, I read a passage from Joshua 24 where we find specific references to the inheritance that God had given to each of the tribes of Israel and their descendants as they moved into the Promised Land. I was especially intrigued by the references to Caleb, a prominent individual from the Tribe of Judah. Caleb and Joshua were the only descendants of the original Children of Israel who survived the 40-year sojourn from Egypt into the Promised Land.

Having celebrated my eightieth birthday last year, I especially identify with Caleb who was 85 when claimed his inheritance, despite the fact the land promised to him was still inhabited by the Anakim, so-called “giants in the land.” As I completed the Bible reading with this Verse of the Day from Joshua 21:45, this original psalm came to mind.

Like Caleb

But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him,

and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land

whereinto he went, and his seed shall possess it.

Numbers 14:24

Caleb, son of Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah:

The impact of this solitary life who can gauge?

May I be like Caleb, who grew in faith with the years

That passed, who with renewed courage transformed his fears

Into faith and lived to slay giants in his old age.

May I rise above any adverse circumstance.

As Caleb claimed for himself his inheritance,

May I too seize God’s promises at this new stage,

To remain fruitful in this season of my life.

And may I wholly follow the ways of the Lord,

Teaching by example the precepts of the Word.

As a servant, may I dispel envy and strife.

Like Caleb, may I look at life as one who sees

Not obstacles but endless possibilities.

The Verse of the Day from the Old Testament also reminded of me this exhortation from Romans 15:4

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Psalm 145:13 offers this reminder:

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.

2 Peter 1:4

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

2 Corinthians 1:20

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

We conclude with this musical reminder from Maverick City Music:  “Promises”:

Wonder-working power in the blood of the Lamb

The Verse of the Day posted on the Logos Bible Software Home page for February 4, 2023, comes from Leviticus 16:30 (New Living Translation):

³⁰ On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins.

The passage from Leviticus reveals the elaborate purification process given to Moses for the Children of Israel whereby their sins were atoned for or forgiven under the Law or the Old Covenant:

As Hebrews 9:13 reminds us:

Indeed, under the law, almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.

The context related to this verse points out the distinction between the Old Covenant established by the blood sacrifice of animals and the New Covenant implemented through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:13-14 point out this distinction:

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

The reference to the distinctive power inherent in the blood of Jesus Christ brings to mind these original lines related to the color red:

red

red clay red

Adamic dust red

red man

red

yearning

to return to Eden

red

red

blood red

red

yes, Lord, red

Lamb’s blood

red

precious blood

red

blood-stained banner

red

like the crimson flow

that cleanses scarlet sins

and washes white as snow

red

Amen red

red

blood red

As I read the Verse of the Day and related scriptures, I also thought of this original psalm as I personalized the shedding of blood by Jesus Christ on my behalf:

Beyond Hyssop

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 Psalm 51:7

Can any stalks of hyssop purify my leprous soul?

Can they daub with precious lamb’s blood the lintels of this house?

Where are the purgatives to cleanse and balms to me make whole

When the passions of my sinful flesh surface and arouse

My senses with flames rekindled from those carnal embers?

Can I be made clean once more, as I wrestle this body

Of death each day and seek to beat back my mortal members?

Though hyssop may flush my rancid soul of iniquity,

Beyond the strength of this remedy is life-giving blood

Of the Lord Jesus, ultimate, unblemished sacrifice

Sent from the bosom of the Father, who alone is good.

Such a costly prescription is far beyond any price.

Truly this balm in Gilead has healed my wounded soul,

Deeply cleansed me from within, and his blood has made me whole.

Lyrics of the stalwart hymn also remind us “There is power, wonder-working power in the blood of the Lamb,” as Ephesians 2:13 also makes known:

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

In Hebrews 10:19 we find this exhortation:

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

1 John 1:7 also reinforces the message of the purifying presence of the blood of Jesus Christ:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

The context for this section of 1 John chapter 1 is fellowship with God and with fellow believers. Verses 6-10 begin with the conditional clause “if we” followed by a verb: “If we say… if we walk… if we say… if we confess… if we say….” These expressions establish the conditions which if met on our part, will result in a corresponding action on God’s part. These two parts of the conditional sentences are especially noted in 1 John 1:9. If we do our part, which is to confess our sins, our faithful and just God will do His part, for the ‘blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all unrighteousness.” Without question, the blood of Jesus Christ is an amazing spiritual repository of life-generating power.

We conclude with CeCe Winans’ offering in song: “The Blood Medley”:

Renewing the mind is the key…

The Verse of the Day for January 27, 2023, is found in Ephesians 6:12-13, which is part of the most celebrated passage related to putting on the whole armor of God, beginning with verse 10 and continuing through verse 20. The New Living Translation renders the passage this way:

Ephesians 6:10-14:

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we^[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

In addition to its use in this passage, the expression “to put on” is used in various other places in the New Testament. Note this reference to putting on something other than specifically “the whole armor of God”

Romans 13:12 (NKJV):

¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 (AMP) speaks of similar elements of the armor mentioned in Ephesians 6:

But since we [believers] belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope and confident assurance of salvation.

Romans 13:14 (NKJV) mentions something else to be put on:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

References in Ephesians and Colossians in the King James Version mention “putting on the new man” as part of the renewing of the mind: In Ephesians 4:22-25 (KJV) we find this exhortation:

²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another

Colossians 3:10 continues with these words:

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:12-14 elaborate in terms of what believers are to put on:

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

The discussion of the above Scriptures reveals that the phrase “to put on” is connected to renewing the mind, whereby Paul encourages followers of God to “put off, put on, and put away.” We are encouraged to change our minds and develop new thinking patterns. We are to put off the old man and put on the new man, as we put away lying or any other ungodly practices.  This transformative process is ongoing in the life of every believer and becomes the topic of the following original poem:

The Key to Renewing the Mind

⁹ Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off

 your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

¹⁰ Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn

to know your Creator and become like him.

Colossians 3-9-10

It has been said that the key to power is renewing the mind,

But Father, reveal this ongoing process, and clearly

Show us how to walk in power, excel, and not fall behind,

As we strive to know deeper levels of intimacy.

With laser precision, we target the old-man nature

And put to death all of our carnal members once and for all.

We respond in obedience in answer to God’s call;

Not conformed, we transform ourselves, being made new, mature.

In the secret place of the Lord who ever inhabits

The praises of His people, here we desire to abide,

To put off the old man, vile, corrupt, wrapped in sinful pride

And put on the new man, as one changes garments, habits.

Above all, we put on compassionate love from the start

And abide in our hiding place, filled with a grateful heart.

We conclude with another Scripture Memory Song: Put on the Full Armour (Ephesians 6:11-12)            

Wrapped in swaddling clothes: What does that mean?

As we continue reading Scriptures related to the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior, we recognize that a series of awe-inspiring circumstances intersect in a miraculous manner. In one such account, we find a more complete unfolding of the narrative in Luke 2:11-14. Taken from that passage, the Verse of the Day for December 23, 2022, is revised and re-posted here:

Luke 2:11-14 (NKJV):

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly 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, goodwill toward men.

This concluding passage contains a reference to an ancient custom associated with birth, that is, Mary wrapped the child in “swaddling cloths” or as the King James Version renders “swaddling clothes” or “swaddling strips” in the New Living Translation. The practice was for a child, particularly a child of royal lineage, to be salted and swaddled. Shortly after birth, the child would be washed with water into which a pinch of salt had been added, symbolizing a covenant of salt, whereby the words spoken by the child would be words of truth, always seasoned with salt. The child would then be wrapped in swaddling bands or swaddling clothes, strips of fine linen to represent that the child would grow up to walk straight and tall.

Bishop KC Pillai, a converted Hindu who embraced Christianity, wrote extensively on Eastern customs and manners, known as Orientalisms, as revealed in the Bible. He points outs distinctive features of the custom of swaddling and notes that when Israel strayed from the precepts of God and walked in idolatry, their abominable practices were described in this way in Ezekiel 16:1-4, indicating how far they had strayed from the precepts of Jehovah:

Ezekiel 16:1-4 (NKJV):

Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

² Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

³ And say, thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite.

⁴ And as for thy nativity, on the day you were born thy navel was not cut, neither were you washed in water to supple thee; you were not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

Swaddling continued to be practiced beyond Biblical times, as a blog entry from needleprint.blogspot.com commented on the elaborately embroidered bands made for young prince Federigo, Duke of Urbino, a notable 15^th Century figure from the Italian Renaissance, pictured here:

In addition, when the angels announced to the shepherds that the Savior had been born, they were given a sign that established the truth of their words:

And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find a Baby wrapped in [swaddling] cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:12 AMP).

The timing of the arrival of the shepherds had to be precise since the swaddling clothes were left on the child for only for a few minutes. The shepherds could not arrive on the scene before the swaddling had begun, nor could they arrive after the custom had been completed. They had to be in the right place at the right time.  As we so clearly see, the account of the birth of Jesus Christ abounds with “signs, wonders, and miracles,” one of which involves his being “wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.”

“He’s Here” by Eddie James offers a powerful, musical rendering of the account of the Savior who was “born of a virgin, wrapped in swaddling clothes. . .”

Emmanuel (God with us): Song of the season and every day

The Verse of the Day for December 11, 2022, is a revision of a previous blog entry.  This verse relates to an Old Testament prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus, the Messiah found in Isaiah 7:14 (NLT):

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us).

In the Gospel of Matthew, the focal point is a portrait of Jesus Christ, the King. Chapter 1 provides an account of his birth, opening with the genealogy or record of the ancestors of the Messiah. The following section discusses the birth of Jesus, the Messiah:

¹⁸ This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

²⁰ As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

  Matthew 1:22-23 (NLT) establishes the fulfillment of that prophetic word spoken in Isaiah 7:14:

²² All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

The two passages from Isaiah and Matthew related to the birth of the Savior by a virgin are only two of the more than three hundred prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and his first coming to earth, all of which came to pass with pinpoint accuracy. The odds of one single word coming to pass are astronomical, let alone more than 300.

We recognize, of course, what was said to Jeremiah, that God will hasten to perform His Word, so we see that when God speaks a word prophetically that it always comes to pass. Remember these words of the Lord spoken in Isaiah 55:11 (in the Amplified Bible):

So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

One of my favorite songs of the season celebrating the Savior’s birth is “O Come, O Come, Immanuel.” The popular Christmas song is a translation of the Latin text (“Veni, veni, Emmanuel”) by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin in the mid-19th century, offered here by Selah:

A variation on the theme of the coming of Jesus Christ is this song “Emmanuel,” offered by Norman Hutchins:

The songs of the season are constant reminders that, indeed, God is with us.

Second Sunday of Advent: Celebrating Jesus, the Light of the World

The Verse of the Day for December 4, 2022, provides another metaphor Jesus uses to describe himself occurring in John 8:12 in the New Living Testament:

[Jesus, the Light of the World] Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

A number of biblical references speak of Jesus Christ in terms of light. The first chapter of John opens with this reference to light:

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. ⁸ He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light. ⁹ That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. (John 1:6-9)

One of the remarkable aspects of light is that light dispels darkness. If the smallest candle can dispel or penetrate the depths of darkness, how much greater is the light provided by “the light of the world.” Concerning the coming Messiah, it was prophesied that “those who sat in darkness have seen a great light.” Indeed, those who follow Jesus will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

Today, November 4, 2022, is the second Sunday of Advent, the season celebrating the Earthly birth of Jesus Christ, as well as preparation and anticipation of the second coming of Christ. During this time of year, I think of the following poem, an original psalm, dedicated to a group of missionaries who were sent to local areas to carry the light and introduce Jesus Christ:

Light of the World

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on

 a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp,

 and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand;

 and it gives light to all who are in the house.

 Let your light so shine before men, that they

 may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”        

Matthew 5:14-16

A call comes ringing. . .     

The light that from creation split the dark

still shines today.  The same sun that once graced

Eden’s green place still warms the earth each day.

Without the light, there is no life, no hope

For growth, no power to live and give birth.

Without the light, there is only the night

To swallow the land and smother all life.

Somewhere someone sits in darkness, crying. . .

Send the light. . .

The love of Christ constrains us to go forth,

To shine as beacons and carry the love,

To offer shelter from stormy places,

To light the path of everyone who longs

To be at home in God’s family room.

 Send the light. . .

With torch held high, let us stand upon the Rock:

a lantern, a lampstand, a beacon, a lighthouse,

a city set on a hill that cannot be hid

Let it shine. . .

Though the darkness thickens, let our lights shine.

Let us speak God’s Word and echo God’s voice that

First spoke light into being, commanding it to shine

So let it shine. . .

So let it shine. . .

So let it shine. . .

forever more.

The lyrics to the familiar gospel song sung so often during this time of the year also come to mind: “Jesus, the Light of the World.”

Isaac Cates and Ordained offer a moving rendition of this classic gospel number featuring Margaret Rainey and Kami Woodard to close out the second Sunday in Advent.