Little Sheep Ramblings & Ruminations - Soli Deo Gloria, S.D.G.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November,

In England every November 5, the people celebrate the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot to destroy the government. The holiday even has its own poem:

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I see no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, ’twas his intent
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below
Poor old England to overthrow.
By God’s providence he was catch’d

The poem called all citizens to remember God’s providence in defending England with the discovery of the plot and foiling the assassination attempt.

In Hebrews 12:1-3, Jesus calls me to remember His life, death, and resurrection.

“1Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking only at Jesus, the [a]originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary [b]and lose heart.”

During His life, Christ Jesus suffered ridicule, rejection, resistance, persecution, plots to murder, etc. With a traitor’s betrayal and the Roman Governor Pilate’s apathy, the Sanhedrin (the Jewish government), arrested Jesus, beat Him and held an illegal and unfair trial. Then after a rigged conviction, they turned Him over to Pilate, whose guards savagely beat Him, and with the pressure of the hypocritical leaders, put to death Jesus the Christ. The Roman crucifixion was a cruel, humiliating method to take life.

Why did Jesus suffer this death? Because of many factors, Christ persevered through a hard life. I’ll only mention two of them:

First, He desired to shed His blood to redeem people from slavery to sin and bring them into a right relationship with God.

Second, for those who trusted in Him for reconciliation to God, He set an example of how to live under difficulty.

When difficulties come, and they do, I must consider or think of Jesus’ example. His memory will keep me from wallowing in self-pity, weariness, or raising the white flag rather than enduring in the spiritual battle.

Today, would you consider Jesus and His gifts to you?

His death and resurrection provided rescue from sin, yours and mine. This redemption[i] freed us from bondage to serve our fleshly desires, which Christ accomplished when He conquered death. Adam’s sin plunged us into a limited lifespan; every person will die eventually. Christ brings eternal life to those who trust Him to give them this gift. We cannot earn this gift; but it is received by faith alone. This belief is not “I hope so” but a certainty. (Romans 8:1-11)
God makes us His children and heirs of His Kingdom. (Romans 8:12-17)
Those who already believe, let us remember His example not to grow weary or faint. (Romans 8:18-27)
Evil may enter our path, but if it does, it can only continue with His permission. (Romans 8:28-30; See, Job’s example, book of Job.)
This gift is irrevocable; we cannot lose our guarantee, the Spirit, or God’s love. (Romans 31-39)

May you choose to trust God today and live for Him alone, confess your sins to Him, and be free of a continual desire to do things you do not want to do. God waits for you to believe who He is and surrender completely to His loving care. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “for He says, ‘At a favorable time I listened to you, And on a day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is ‘a favorable time,’ behold, now is ‘a day of salvation’.”

[i]buying back from Satan, the fallen angel, who put all men and women into slavery and physical death.

Godly Planning in Uncertain Times

Hello again! Welcome back. We’re addressing the second issue of the planning discussion, where I reveal my dry sense of humor and silliness. One liners and antics are particular ticklers of my funny bone. So hang on!

At Christmas time, I enjoy the older comedic movies like Home Alone, The Santa Clause, etc. One film in this genre, Skipping Christmas, swirled around Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, taking a tropical vacation for the holiday. Their daughter recently moved to South America and would not be home for the holiday to celebrate with her parents.

As the neighborhood finds out the couple plans on skipping the expense of Christmas and all its trimmings, the neighbors launch into an intimidation campaign of taunts, which accelerates in intensity to force the couple into participation with the community activities. But Tim Allen is not to be deterred from this special trip.

Later, while packing for their romantic trip, they receive a call from Blaire, their daughter, who plans to surprise them by coming home for Christmas with her new boyfriend.

At this news, the couple panic, trying to assemble their “normal” holiday plans in a slapstick scenario. The neighbors jump into action to pull together the annual holiday party, but hilarity comes during a scene in the grocery store. Jamie goes for the last honey baked ham and fights another woman for this “delicacy.”

Of course, Skipping Christmas is fictional. But the frantic shopping because of Covid’s supply chain issues or the scarcity of items due to a bird flu case, we witness or participate in hoarding toilet paper, eggs, beef, etc. However, God tells us not to trust in our abundance of things or store things for the future, but to depend on Him. Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

When we plan for our day, week, or month, the focus needs to be on how we glorify God in each time period. Instead of buying for the uncertain future, we buy for daily needs, relying fully on God to provide for the next time. The way to determine our motivation in purchasing is to examine whether we are buying out of fear or with thankfulness for God’s provision.

If we buy based on ominous events around us, then we are buying out of fear. If we are praying about the things we need, shopping for only those things, and purchasing them with thanksgiving to God, the focus remains on God rather than what we can consume. This brings glory to the godhead.

Remembering to give thanks for everything God provides us a repeated order in Scripture. Paul commanded us in I Thessalonians 5:18, “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” With God’s vast supply for daily existence, our thankfulness sometimes decreases rather than increases.

Why is that? Thankfulness is a spiritual thermometer. If we regularly grumble and complain, then our temperature is cold. Conversely, if we are thankful, praising God for our blessings, our temperature points to our connection to our Father and Provider.

In Luke 12:13-34, Jesus teaches on greed. He directs the disciples to think with proper attitudes toward wealth, not anxious, worrying or fretting about provisions for the future. Jesus promises they would receive everything for life and godliness.

Why is this important? Our Heavenly Father places value on the birds providing for them. But He loves and values us more than the smallest sparrow; therefore, we need to believe and trust Him for everything.

When we understand how much God already invested in us by giving His Son to die for us, we’ll see and remember He LOVES me! (See, Romans 8:32)

He LOVES you, too. If you have believed on Jesus Christ as the only Way out of a death sentence, He died in our place. Because of our sin nature and personal sins committed, we are doomed to die a never ending death. But, now, since we believe Jesus took our place, paying our huge sin debt, we no longer face eternal death. We will live forever through and with the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Paul argued that we no longer need to fear anything since God willingly gave His Son. He will also give us everything we need to endure and serve Him to the end. So, which should we depend on: our stockpile for tomorrow or God the Father’s never ending wealth?

Let’s ponder this tremendous provision by the Father for all our needs. Next time, when you see a rush on an item in the grocery store, don’t feel you have to join in the fray. Ask the Father to provide what you need and He’ll give you what is necessary for living.

Until next time,

Maranatha!

The Founding of Two Colonies, Their Similarities and Differences, Jamestown and Plimouth Plantation

In the early years of the American colonies, two settlements were established, one in 1607 named after King James I, Jamestown, and the other in 1620 started by Separatists (outsiders to the Church of England) along with investors who agreed to the Mayflower Compact. The second English enclave was named after the sailing port, Plymouth.

From the beginning of Jamestown, the settlers, 104 men and boys, arriving in May, had every advantage, warm weather, longer growing season, wildlife, and less loss of life in transit. But these benefits were quickly lost. The directives of the investment company were not beneficial for the situation in Virginia: build near a river with water on three sides; stay near the coast; look for gold, collect it, refining it for shipment to England.

Of course, with this instruction the men were off and running once the stockade was built. They sought their fortunes while following the Company’s directives. Three things came out of these guidelines: the settlers avoided developing shelter, planting crops, or putting stores by for the upcoming winter; a personal quest developed rather than working for the best of the community; and the individuality put them at odds with the Powhatan people who inhabited the area and on whose land they had settled.

The colonists soon became sick with mosquito borne illnesses from the marshy land. Drinking the slimy water added to the problems, and weakness arose from those issues in addition to the low food supply. Many of the Jamestown residents died; the remainder were on the verge of returning to England when in 1610 a ship arrived with new settlers and supplies. Order was established in the colony with individuals working together to develop a steady food supply, and the settlement was able to thrive.

In contrast, the Mayflower arrived in the fall of 1620. Some of the pilgrims and investors had died on the crossing. Others were sickly and supplies were almost exhausted.

During the winter the death toll was high. The following spring only 51 of the original men and women remained of the original 102. When spring arrived, the pilgrims and investors worked side by side developing a settlement, planting crops, worshiping together.

During the sailing, the colony agreed to a Compact to govern the settlement. In this document it was expected for all to pull together as a community to allow each individual to survive.

The difference in successfulness between the two efforts was determined by whether they were in the New World as an individual or as a community.

As long as the Jamestown colony sought only for personal gain, it could not attain to a thriving association. It was necessary for each person to willingly work with the others, as in Plimouth, toward a common goal.

So too, the word “gentleness” as used in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” is exemplified by humility, meekness, and forbearance. In practice it is seeking the good of others before yourself.

This runs counter to American business philosophy which has adopted the early Jamestown view of being a “Lone Ranger.” An individual must be a self-promoter, self-assertive, self-starter, self, self, self… ad nauseum.

But gentleness is best expressed by forbearance, allowing others to have first place. To most this appears to be evidence of weakness, but in truth it reveals deep strength of character. When we are agitated, frustrated, or wronged, it quickly becomes apparent the great strength required to speak gently with the individual and not reveal an underlying ungodly desire to throttle them.

Being able to approach a time of confrontation for a wrong suffered in a spirit of gentleness is humanly impossible. Only the Spirit of God enables a gentle and quiet spirit without anger to reign in difficulty.

When we are dealing with evil, there are times when anger is necessary because gentleness is actively angry at evil. This is an area where Jesus shines! He displayed anger with the Pharisees at an appropriate time and for an appropriate subject, their hypocrisy.

For example, in the synagogue, the Pharisees watched to see if Jesus intended to heal a man on the Sabbath. Their object was to have cause to discredit Him before the people. Jesus said to the Pharisees,

“Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill? But they kept silent. After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.”

Jesus was angry at their evil intent of preventing others from coming to Him for physical and spiritual healing; He was angry at their hard hearts, the wickedness that resided there, and He was angry at their hypocrisy for they were plotting for a way to kill Him. (Mark 3:4-6 NASB)

Jesus displayed gentleness towards the Pharisees in allowing them to continue with their activities, but He pointed out to them their sin. Jesus acted in neglect of His own safety for the benefit of the man who had a withered hand. His gentleness benefitted others rather than Himself.

A Greek scholar, Spiros Zhodiates, states, “It [gentleness] does not denote an outward expression of feeling but an inward grace of the soul, calmness toward God in particular. It is acceptance of God’s dealings with us and considering them as good in that they enhance the closeness of our relationship with Him.”

A great gauge of my maturity is my reaction to what appears to be humanly adverse events. Do I lash out in anger, resist God’s plan for me, or submit graciously to His wisdom?

Come what may, good or evil, I should be drawing closer to God to cope with both situations. It’s easier to move nearer to God in difficulty, but when life is going well, do I seek the Lord’s presence? That’s a true test of how my fruit is developing.

As gentleness grows, God comes closer. God is the One who elevates the humble and actively works in opposition to the proud. (James 4:6, 8). He gives me a balanced view of myself and others. To mankind I may be insignificant but to God, I have great value. I am excited I am valuable to God!

In parting, I’ll leave you with a quote from an orchardist: “The most heavily laden branches always bow the lowest on the tree.”

How is your fruit looking today?

Maranatha!

Journal, Plan or Log Events, Balancing Uncertainty with the Known

When you think of a journal, what pictures come to mind? You might say a diary or planner, possibly a memoir. But journaling takes many forms, including the former plus art, bullet, food, gratitude, scrapbook, etc. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines a journal as:

“2a. a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use:diary

b a record of current transactions especially:a book of original entry in double-entry bookkeeping

c an account of day-to-day events

d a record of transactions kept by a deliberative or legislative body”

These formats are not exhaustive but are a small sample of possibilities that I divide into two types: recording the past and planning the future. Recording the past has been with us since the beginning of time and writing. Man recorded histories of his era. Some of those historians became famous: Moses, Herodotus, Josephus, Plutarch, the Bede, and others. (A need arose for storing and saving the laws and histories resulting in the development of libraries).

The second journal type began in America with the publication of a day planner by Robert Aitken of Philadelphia in 1773; unfortunately, the world was not ready for arranging appointments and it failed. But in 1850 a demand for appointment books, diaries, ledgers, etc. led to the publication of a new product popularized by Union soldiers during the Civil War. See, Boston Globe article, “The Daily Planner: An American History,” Molly McCarthy, June 2, 2013. With the publication of a planner, the push for scheduling of events was in full swing.

Since my early teens, I have been a journalist, one who records thoughts and impressions. Initially, my journals contained my insights when reading a passage of Scripture, recording what I thought it meant and what actions I should take considering the meaning. As I matured, this quiet time journaling, as I called it, expanded to include my impressions of the world, conversations, ideas, and relationships, but the foundation stayed the same, documenting my spiritual walk with the Lord.

Why do others write a journal? Why has journaling ballooned so much in the last few years? Is it just because it is an effective method to control the use of time? My hypothesis is that given the current climate of uncertainty, the fast pace of life, the loss of identity, people may try to control not only their schedules but their environment. They achieve this by scheduling meaningful events and accomplishing goals through planning, documentation, and recording memories.

To a certain extent, this is fine; we should be prepared for moving forward and living with a purpose. But what about arrangements for today, vacations, meetings, etc.? Do we consult God about those plans? Am I guilty of trying to arrange my day without including what God might have planned? How do I know what God wants me to do today? These are all deep waters to wade through and would broaden the discussion, but would make this post rather lengthy. However, to keep to the point, God’s instructions to contemplate while planning should include:

Be just, humble, and merciful (And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NIV).
Love your neighbor (Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31 NIV).
Rejoice in all things (Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).
Pray about all things (Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5 NIV).

These commands are a tall order for anyone. But if I can incorporate these basic Christian tenets into practice for the day, I will walk in the way of honoring God. However, this does not mean God will unveil ahead of time events that toss in a curveball that changes the world, like COVID-19, 9/11 or the beginning of WWII. Nor does it mean I will do these things perfectly, totally obeying all God desires. It simply means the sudden change will not derail my relationship with God.

The path to living may not include the same way of wage earning, buying, or selling, or engaging with others. All around me can change, but God stays the same. And when the world falls apart, I will not collapse because God will hold me in his hands.

Finally, pray for what you are planning. If it is what God wants, it will happen; if it is not, it will not.

Maranatha,

S.D.G., Soli Deo Gloria, To God Be the Glory!

The Seeing Donkey’s Tale of the Blind Prophet

Or The Beating of a Faithful Donkey

Numbers records the King of Moab went to Balaam asking him to curse the Israelites. This course of action, Balak believed, would help his people, the Moabites, defeat the Israelites in battle. God took a dim view of this approach and told Balaam twice not to go. Still, Balaam wishing the reward offered by the King Balak continued to desire to go to the Moabite kingdom, and hopefully, God would allow him to meet enough of the King’s requirements that he would receive all the wealth promised. Balaam, therefore, returned to God and asked again. This time, however, God said he could go but with restrictions.

Apparently, Balaam did not care that God had restrained him from speaking anything detrimental to the nation of Israel. At first light, with dreams of wealth, Balaam saddled his donkey to travel to Moab. It is possible Balaam’s mind daydreamed of his potential wealth or some other thing because he was not aware of his surroundings and suddenly who woke up off the road.

In the meantime, the donkey diligently paying attention to the path, could see the obstacles ahead, but the prophet (seer or one who sees) was blind. How ironic that a beast not known for wisdom or following directions had been obedient except on this occasion. To spare her master’s life, she veered off the road and finally laid down under Balaam. All this happened without him discerning God’s presence on the road.

When Balaam consulted with God only minutes before, why was he blind to God’s presence, but the donkey could see? From the context, God was trying to point out first that Balaam was going not to serve God but his own sinful desires. Balaam’s intentions did not align with God’s will. Second, Balaam focused on the temporal wealth rather than the eternal reward God would give him through obedience to His direct command. Do you think he was scheming a course to curse Israel but planned to do it in such a way as to appear to obey God? In any case, Balaam’s heart was indifferent to God’s presence and His will.

God allowed the donkey to talk to Balaam; I suspect she shocked him with her speech for his betrayal and unfounded beatings. In the same way, God called Balaam to examine his heart’s deceitfulness, and to be aware of the spiritual battle waging for his soul.

God illustrated He would block Balaam’s schemes to attain wealth and honor over obedience. In the same way, God calls us to examine our hearts and minds to see if our intentions align with God’s word.

Before I end today, I wanted to share the poem below:

Ode to a Donkey

When Balaam saddled his faithful steed,
He was blinded by his greed.
The wise donkey’s clear visage
Enabled her to safely steer
Away from danger into the clear.

In payment for her faithful work
Balaam thrice beat her sore
Very angry with his mare
After the whipping, he swore.

The little girl, gifted by God, then spoke
“What have I done wrong, Master?
Thrice I saved you from disaster.”

Then Balaam admitted his error.
Eyes now open to the peril
Falling before God in terror.

God in His mercy spared him,
But warned him, “Not a single word
Beyond what I gave you
Or you will surely die by the sword.”

Eons pass; God informs the church
These examples are for instruction
To prevent travel on paths to sin
Guard all your minds from corruption
Submit to Me and live eternally.

Go with God into this year, walk in His path, follow His leading.

Maranatha,

S.D.G., To God Be the Glory

Christmas Carols and the Praise of God’s Lamb and Plan

In December, the time comes to sing Christmas carols about Jesus birth and I have a few favorites, Away in a Manager and Silent Night. When my son was young, I sang these two as lullabies to him to lull him to sleep. Most of the time he relaxed and fell quickly asleep.

But is that the only reason to sing Christmas carols? What do these carols tell us about Christmas and who is the protagonist of the story?

In answer to the last question first, the carols record parts of Jesus Christ’s historical birth and His purpose for coming to earth as a baby. In singing the Christmas carols I love, I can mediate on the miraculous and meaningful actions in His coming and arriving as a human baby. In that birth, He gives us a look at His purpose by His identifying with the temple lambs.

First, let us review the main points we discussed last time and add more facts to fuel your praise for God’s plan.

In the prior post, we discussed the miracles of our Savior’s birth, including the location in a lambing cave, the bed used for examining the lambs, and the swaddling cloths of Jesus which the shepherds applied to perfect lambs.

Now, besides the previous information, let us look at other recorded information about the glorious birth of the Son of God. In traveling to the location of Bethlehem, the City of David, Mary and Joseph confirmed they were both descendants of David, though in different generational trees. See, Matthew 1 for Joseph’s family tree and Luke 1 for Mary’s tree. This return to their ancestral home was required by Caesar and brought them to Judea when all the housing was completely full.

As recorded in Luke 2:1-5, an edict came to force this travel to Bethlehem. Upon arrival in town, the only location available was a cave where lambs were born. The prophet Micah predicted the Savior’s birth in Micah 5:6, which says, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” (NASB) In this choice of “hotel room” God identifies His Son as the Perfect Lamb to come, His only Begotten Son. (John 3:16)

After Jesus’ birth, Mary laid Jesus in a trough. The shepherds possibly used this trough for food or water for adult ewes, or to shelter newborn lambs. Also, this “bed” enabled the shepherd to examine the lamb for any impurities.

If under examination the lamb was perfect or whole, the shepherd swaddled the newborn in cloths to protect the lamb from injury and to maintain its body heat during the cold Judean Spring nights. Mary swaddled Jesus to protect and keep warm her Son, but God intended those wrappings to speak of Jesus’ perfection and the future once for all sacrifice for all sin.

This birth, divinely planned, occurred during the lambing season. Further, Jesus’ birth occurred during the time shepherds were in the fields with the flocks, from April to October of each year. During the Spring shepherds guarded their flocks, assisted the ewes in giving birth, inspecting the flocks, and swaddling the unblemished lambs.

Additional comparisons in the lamb’s life cycle to Jesus’ life culminate in similar sacrificial deaths. The priest’s continuous offering of lambs did not end the animal sacrifices. A continual need arises with each sin committed. Whereas, when Christ died on the cross, His one sacrifice covered all sins for all time, any sins I committed or will commit. Jesus Christ’s sacrificial offering of His life occurred at the very hour the priests slaughtered the Passover lambs.

… when Christ died on the cross, His one sacrifice covered all sins for all time…”

After Jesus’ sacrificial death, and before the burial, Joseph of Arimathea and other disciples swaddled Jesus in cloths because He was a pure and unblemished sacrifice. Jesus’ perfection enabled Him to carry away my sins and deliver from bondage to the god of this world, the enemy of Almighty God.

At the end of three nights and days, Jesus Christ rose victorious over sin and death; He shed the cloths and left them behind in the tomb. Once Jesus completed the perfect offering, He no longer needed the cloths; He proved He was perfect in His resurrection, which guaranteed His victorious and finished mission to buy back humanity out of the chains of sin..

In this resurrection from death, Jesus paid the whole penalty for my every sin. God no longer remembers any sin of mine, past, present, or future. When the Father sees me, He sees Christ’s righteousness covering me. Therefore, Christ’s sacrifice freed my soul from slavery to sin.

Now, when I confess my sin with a contrite spirit, He renews my relationship with Himself, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. This excites praise in my heart like that recorded in Rev 5:9-10 offered by the 24 elders.

And they *sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

¹⁰You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” (NASB)

I sing with the elders and am filled with gratitude and praise, for the Amazing Son of God and the Father of all Creation look favorably on me. Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, I am set free to serve You alone!

You may have a question about receiving this freedom from sin. To receive the grace offered by God, first there are several things that you must believe:

That you are a sinner in need of forgiveness and freedom.
Jesus Christ is the one and only way for forgiveness of your sin.
Jesus Christ is God and Man.
Jesus died, was buried, and rose again with victory over sin.

Second, you need to confess your sins to God and ask for His forgiveness.

Acts 16:31 states, “They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

If you have prayed this to the Father, He forgives you and adopts you into His family, freeing you from your tie to sin. This does not mean we don’t sin any longer, but that we can continually approach Him for forgiveness, turning 180 degrees from our previous actions and following the path He has laid out for us. Ephesians 6:10, states, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

If you decide to pray and accept the Lord’s forgiveness, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will take up residence inside of you. You will be part of God’s family, and I encourage you to read the gospel of John to discover more of who Jesus is and to find a Bible preaching church where you hear God’s word taught so you grow in your new faith.

If you have made this decision, please let me know in the comment box below.

Until next time, Maranatha,

S.D.G., Soli Deo Gloria

God’s Christmas Lamb Born in a Judean Countryside

God gave the human race an unblemished Lamb one chilly night. His precious Lamb was born following a process of labor and delivery; however, there were peculiarities around this Lamb’s birth.

For instance, the birth occurred in a Judean countryside birthing cave where shepherds sheltered ewes and lambs during the birthing process. Once the lamb arrived, shepherds would lay it in a trough for a thorough inspection for abnormalities and bruises.

If the shepherd found none, he swaddled the lamb to protect it from potential injuries. Only perfect lambs would qualify for a temple sacrifice in Jerusalem.

The temple priests may have employed the shepherds of the Nativity to care for the temple flocks, which were bought by the people as they came to confess their sins.

The Bible passage, Luke 2:8-18 reads:

8 “In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.

15 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 16 And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds.” (NASB)

God’s Lamb was born into this world to save humanity from our sins. He was born into humble circumstances, identifying with the role of a sheep to be the perfect, once for all time sacrifice.

This wonderful Savior came to restore our relationship with God so that we could enjoy intimate conversations with our Creator. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came to die, which He did because He loves us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Will you accept God’s Gift of everlasting life through His Son this Christmas? The requirement is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will receive this wonderful life with Jesus Christ.

Please pray to the Father and request to have Jesus Christ in your life as your Savior and Lord.

If you have questions about receiving Jesus Christ, or about this post, write to me through the comments.

Until next time,

Maranatha,

S.D.G.

The Treasure Trove of Christmas

My brother, Mark, is a writer, too! While you visit his blog, look around at the artwork. Enjoy the beauty of God’s creation!

https://mpphotog.zenfoliosite.com/truth-studio-blog/bp/merry-christmas?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1FP9xBvOpmAgiZQAkwkSlh4_Bz-DUH52Dhfhbf2cNDmlncwQmLh3Sgjzo_aem_uRSmQss4lLu1poszr84IoA

While he’s moving forward with his website, Mark subtly gives his big sister a push back to the typewriter.

During these days rolling up to Christmas, remember our beautiful Reason for rejoicing! Be thankful over God’s gifts, imparted without wrapping paper or bows but provided to bring us to heaven, to perform His work here, and to share the good news of salvation to all those who hear our voice.

Jesus came to earth with the main purpose of dying for the sins of mankind, He was three days in the grave, and He arose from the dead, ascended into heaven for those who believe on Him for rescue from sins.

Would you trust Him this Christmas believing He died, was buried, and rose again for your rescue from eternal death? Would you become one of His disciples today?

May you seek the meaning of Christ’s birth as the shepherds did; may you find the Wisdom of the Ages as the wisemen did, and may you proclaim His royalty and right to reign as the angels did.

Merry Christmas!

Melanie

S.D.G.

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Thanksgiving Day and the 1777 Congressional Inaugural Proclamation

Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, The Pilgrims First Thanksgiving, 1914, The Pilgrim Hall Museum

Today, we gather with family and friends to discuss significant and insignificant events of the year. One question arises at most Thanksgiving Day Dinners; What are you thankful for this year? Almost always, we give thanks for what God has done for us. This year, we will ask the same question, but with more direction; this year what did God do for you, deserving of praise?

In 1777, the United States Congress resolved for the President or the legislature to declare a solemn day of thanksgiving to God. The document is not lengthy, but the contents can provide a prayer for the day.

“Thanksgiving Proclamation 1777 By the Continental Congress The First National Thanksgiving Proclamation IN CONGRESS November 1, 1777 FORASMUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success: It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth “in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.” And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion.”

My solemn prayer is, as believers, we would return to our Creator and bless His name for His bountiful favor and unexpected kindness to us.

I pray that your day is joyful, full of thanks, and peace.

Maranatha,

Bolo Bouncer, Discipline and Improvement Revisited

When I was a child, my brother, Mark, and I asked for a toy called the “Bolo Bouncer.” Now this plaything’s only purpose was to bounce the elastic-string attached rubber ball on the small racquet.

Once the string snapped or the ball pulled loose, the entertainment value disappeared. But to our chagrin, my mom and dad discovered another use for the flat balloon-shaped paddle. This wood racquet could double as a paddle to apply discipline to the seat of correction.

Contrary to widespread belief, my dad spanked me as a child when I acted in disobedience to a command. The Bolo Bouncer would suddenly appear to administer a few well-placed whacks on the bottom to realign my behavior with more socially accepted norms. I lived in fear of the Bouncer; I would do anything to escape the humiliation and pain instigated by my rebellious behavior!

Spanking produced obedience in me which pleased my father and mother. The correction molded my behavior to reflect our family values: respect, submission to authority, and my parents’ modeled behavior. I learned to represent our family well and protect our reputation by doing what was right.

Normally, the parent administers discipline through spanking, removing privileges, or insisting on other remedial activities to protect the child. In the same way, God acts to discipline His children who disobey His standards found in Exodus 20. In Hebrews 12:7-10, the Scripture states:

^“7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.”

Further, the Most High corrects nations who rebel against His authority. Before Moses died, the new generation of Israelites recited the blessings that would come to them if they kept God’s word, and curses if they failed to do so.

Through the centuries, God’s prophets warned Israel and Judah of the consequences if they didn’t seek their God. But they failed to heed the warnings. Another prophet, sent by God, Amos, a shepherd by trade, pronounced the judgment against Israel and Judah for their rebellion and disobedience. In Amos 2:4-16, Amos announces the coming punishment to the people, and states

“This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Judah, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they rejected the Law of the Lord
And have not kept His statutes;
Their lies also have led them astray,
Those which their fathers followed.
⁵So I will send fire upon Judah,
And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

⁶This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they sell the righteous for money,
And the needy for a pair of sandals.
⁷These who trample the head of the helpless to the dust of the earth
Also divert the way of the humble;
And a man and his father resort to the same girl
So as to profane My holy name.
⁸And on garments seized as pledges they stretch out beside every altar,
And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

⁹“Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
Though his height was like the height of cedars
And he was as strong as the oaks;
I also destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.
¹⁰And it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And led you in the wilderness for forty years
So that you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.
¹¹Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets,
And some of your young men to be Nazirites.
Is this not so, you sons of Israel?” declares the Lord.
¹²“But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
And you commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’
¹³Behold, I am making a rut in the ground beneath you,
Just as a wagon makes a rut when filled with sheaves.
¹⁴Refuge will be lost from the swift,
And the strong will not strengthen his power,
Nor the warrior save his life.
¹⁵The one who grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
The swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will the one who rides the horse save his life.
¹⁶Even the bravest among the warriors will flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.

What had Israel done wrong? God said, they:

Sold the poor into slavery to gain wealth.
Silenced the humble’s message.
Removed righteous principles from the land.

Further, God said, Israel removed Him:

from the public square and quashed any prick of conscience or rebuke; and
committed abominable adultery; and
profaned worship by their drunkenness and performing of lewd acts before God’s.
Her sister Judah’s sins increased over a longer period. God listed her crimes as:

Establishing traditions in place of God’s law which resulted in disobedience and rebellion to His commands; and
Adopting customs of the pagans and refusing to be different and separate from other nations; and
Believing and repeating lies about God; and
Following blindly their fathers’ traditions.
Let us review God’s analysis of Israel with the parallels to America. Are any of these things happening in America?

human trafficking
Suppressing truth by removing Bible reading and prayer from the public arena.
Sexual immorality
Abominable practices: mocking God in the re-enactment of the Last Supper at the Olympics Opening Ceremonies, exaltation of pride, drag queens reading to children, indoctrination of children in transgender ideology and scheduling surgeries for children, etc.
When analyzing Judah’s behavior, we see parallels to the church:

Practicing traditions rather than obedience to God’s word, such as celebrating holy days that are not God’s holy feasts, rejecting a day of rest that God inaugurated at creation, etc.
Bringing the culture into the church in worship practices, such as a casual approach to worship, performing bands with strobe lights, unreasonable amplification, and repetitive lyrics to the neglect of the Scripture reading and prayer.
Telling lies about God, such as, God is love and will not judge sin; the teaching that God created and withdrew from His creation, leaving it to progress on its own; the Bible is not trustworthy but is only a book of moral stories or myths; God does not care how we approach Him; etc.
The church does not think analytically but blindly follows traditions held from earlier times.

In America, both the church and nation are falling short of God’s standard, and the result could end in God’s indictment on us. The church has stayed silent on many of these issues because the above actions are deemed political rather than spiritual. However, the Bible teaches that these activities are spiritual and will be punished as sins against God Almighty if we refuse to take a stand

The people of the ancient world did not possess a copy of the Word of God but heard a passage read each week. Today Christians have multiple copies of the Bible, yet we do not seek His wisdom or answers to modern dilemmas. We have easy access to the written word and are without excuse for disobeying and rebelling against the Almighty God.
If God said He would not pardon but discipline Judah, Israel, or the surrounding nations, how much more would these same sins bring down God ‘s judgment upon the church and America?
Judgment is coming but the timing may be altered if believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of pride, rebellion, and selfishness. I Chronicles 7:14 tells God’s people to repent, not those who are not His.
As God postponed judgment during the Old Testament kings’ reign in Judah, so He might relent concerning our country’s day of reckoning. In Noah’s day, God waited 120 years; in our day, He continues to wait because He does not desire anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9)
When will we fall prostrate before Him confessing our sins? We are like Judah and Israel in our inability to evaluate our lives by God’s commands. We limit the extent of the commands to only the strict interpretation of “Thou shalt not…” found in Exodus 20 and have disobeyed the weightier part of the law seen in justice, kindness, and humility (Micah 6:8).
We are apathetic and lethargic. In our hearts, we desire to act, but we are hindered and slow to do so because we lack the focus, drive, strength, or sufficient interest. As Francis Schaeffer said in How Should We Then Live?, we desire to be left alone to enjoy our comforts and live in solitude. But Jesus Christ commissioned us to get out of our cocoon and be salt and light to a generation.
What is required to return to our God?
The church needs to hear God’s convicting voice through preached messages of warning, and then go to those who don’t know Jesus Christ sharing the message that Jesus came to save people from their sins.
Second, we need to confess our sins against God and one another. We need to show true humility and submission to God.
Third, we need to Fully Rely on God (FROG) to live out our purpose of serving our Creator each day.
Fourth, we must treat others as more important than ourselves and not consider ourselves better than we are.
The answer is to seek the LORD and pray to Him for forgiveness. We must approach God in humility, confessing our sins and calling on Your Name, the Holy One, to deliver us from our wanderings.
Praise You Most High for You are a forgiving God who desires Your people to return to You. You are all-powerful, all-wise, and everywhere present with Your children. Only You can move Your church to purity, faithfulness, and humility, creating a desire to serve You only.
Instill in us a desire for You alone rather than the charms of planet Earth; we offer gratitude with joy in praise to You, the LORD of Hosts and Almighty God who forgives and does not remember sins.
Come and fill us with yourself so we may follow Your commands and walk in Your path, sharing the joy of knowing You with others.

Until next time, Maranatha,