Category: Inspirational

Magnificat

Magnificat

” And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.”

Luke 1:46-47, 49

There is nothing any more precious or more awe-inspiring, than the birth of a new baby. Just ask the mother who has intentionally planned, nurtured and carried her little one safely inside for nine months and has just given birth. What a brilliant God and designer creator we have to have called and orchestrated this most astounding miracle into action for His pleasure and ours. It’s mind-boggling isn’t it? The grace miracles that He extends to us even through His designer, new-born creations! All different, all unique, yet all human, all frail, and all dependent on others. It was in this same humble way God Himself, chose to enter into the world and walk among us for a time. It was His way of becoming human, yet divine so that His plan of salvation could be attained and a lost world could be rescued from the bondage of sin. Mary gave birth to her baby, her Lord and Savior; the One who was born to die in order to bring life. This baby that she carried and birthed would erase the stain of her sin, pay her ransom and bring salvation to her people and to a lost world. This little One that she would deliver would ultimately redeem her.

To be “with child” is a grace moment, but to be “with child” with the Messiah, must have been a grace moment beyond all grace moments. Can we even imagine something so awe-inspiring yet daunting at the same time? No wonder Elizabeth’s words verses 44. 45, inspired a song in Mary’s heart. Her song of joy is the first of three songs of praise in the birth narrative, called the Magnificat; (magnifies) from the first word in the Latin translation! The coming of God’s kingdom would bring salvation to a rejected and outcast people. No wonder Mary sang in praise to Her God, “My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God in my Savior.”.

When Christ cleanses us and forgives and frees us from the death penalty that we so deserve, it’s a grace moment beyond all grace moments! If we know Him, we know the forgiveness and grace that abolishes the stain of sin and the joy and peace that accompanies new life in Christ! We are blessed beyond all blessing and we can say as Mary, ‘For the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is His name.”

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Deliver Christ To The World

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Luke 1:30-33
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.”.

Has God ever asked you to do something that in your simple, finite mind, seemed beyond your limitations? Have you felt the fear of insecurity in the face of God’s expectations? I certainly have. Many times, rather than carry out the plan, I’d rather not. Sometimes it seems easier to stay in my comfort zone and not rock the boat too much. Have you been there? Imagine Mary, when the angel appeared with such mind blowing news of God’s plan for her life? She was to carry the King of all the earth, the Redeemer of her people, The Redeemer of the world, The Prince of Peace, The Savior of mankind and the mediator between God and man, She was to deliver the One that would deliver her from her sin! Wow! that would be quite a concept for a young mom to grasp. Especially, an unmarried mom who would face many obstacles because of it. Her reputation was on the line, yet God called her to it and He was faithful to call her through it unscathed! Before this could happen, she had to trust and move forward in obedience into God’s calling! Remember If God calls you to it, He will call you through it. There may be a few storms along the way, a few trials, and a few hardships, but our simple, trust and obedience to God’s call, will get us through victoriously to the other side! A perfect, sinless, Christ came as a babe, and grew deep within Mary’s womb until the time came for Him to come out and be delivered into the world. As believers, who know Christ, He lives within us and If He lives within, He will come out in our actions, our speech and our behavior. We like Mary, have the privilege of delivering Christ into the world by the way we live, through our lifestyles, our display of unconditional love, our forgiving spirit, and by trusting Him and following in obedience to His call. Let’s be challenged today to deliver Christ into our worlds and circles of influence by being obedient to His will, however difficult it may seem! His faithfulness is awesome and His victory is sure!

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Your Ticket To Heaven

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John 14:1-3

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” When everything is ready, I will come and get you so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going….”

“No we don’t know Lord.” Thomas said. “We have no idea where You are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The mysteries of the Kingdom seemed like riddles to the disciples as they listened to their Master’s teaching. His mysterious Truths often left their heads spinning as they tried to untangle His thoughts and spoken words to make sense out of it all.

Jesus had just predicted Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial in the previous verses of Chapter 13. Jesus, had been troubled Himself on three occasions, 11: 33, 12: 27, 13: 21) however His confidence in God allowed Him to face the crisis. Faced with the upsetting words of 13: 33 the disciples confronted similar feelings. Now Jesus spoke of going away to prepare a place for them, and coming again to receive them unto Himself. Then He said, “Where I go you know, and the way you know.” But Thomas didn’t know. He walked and talked personally with One who called Himself the Way, The Truth and the Life. However, He didn’t get it at all, even after walking and talking with Jesus, He didn’t have a clue what on earth Jesus was talking about Verse 5. He didn’t know where Jesus was going and He certainly didn’t know the way.

Do we get it?

The “I am” phrases that Jesus purposely uses in the Gospel of John depict His identity and make His listeners think of the Old Testament name for His Father, ‘God’. Exodus 3:14, “I Am who I Am.. I Am has sent you.” Here Jesus tells His puzzled disciples, “I am the way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father, except through me.” Perhaps you’ve had the privilege of a rich Christian heritage that instructed and helped you form a solid Spiritual foundation. Perhaps you’ve sat under many godly, Bible scholars and professors and have been enlightened in Biblical truths. If so, then you know that we must believe and receive the Truth of Christ’s atonement to cancel out our sin debt and set us free from sin’s penalty of death! We must see our need to have our sins forgiven and allow the sinless, shed blood of the spotless Lamb of God, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness in order to bring salvation and forgiveness of sin.

If this is your first time in hearing the gospel or perhaps, as a beginner with Christ you may have questions and feel confusion, just as Thomas did, but hear Christ’s words today, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Christ spoke of rooms in His Father’s house and this word ‘room’ is related to the Greek verb meaning to abide, or dwell. Jesus promised His followers that He would have a place for them to dwell alongside Him, wherever He would be. Later, of course, after His death and resurrection, this dwelling becomes a place of ‘indwelling’ as Jesus makes His home in His follower’s hearts, through the Spirit. 14: 23

Friends, if Christ dwells within you, He prepares another place for you. He prepares an eternal home for those who have believed on His name. He gives a blessed, eternal Hope to those who call upon His name and accept His gift of salvation through repentance. He will come again for His followers, to take each one to be with Him in glory but there is only one way to enter heaven and claim the promise of the hope of eternal life after death. There is only ticket to heaven and Jesus identified Himself as the only way to God! Don’t be fooled by false teaching or wolves in sheep’s clothing!

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Divine Instruction ~ Our Obedience

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Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

God called Jeremiah to warn the kingdom of Judah, of it’s impending destruction. When he began preaching, Judah was relatively prosperous, free and secure. However things changed under the heavy hand of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. Judah suffered greatly for twenty years before the city of Jerusalem was destroyed and they were exiled into Babylon.

Throughout these events Jeremiah warned of God’s judgment and destruction while God passionately urged His people to return to Him and receive salvation. Our verse today is one of comfort found in Jeremiah’s letter to those carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. God speaks through Jeremiah and in his letter God’s words are relayed in v 4, ” This is what the Lord Almighty says to all those “He” carried into exile.” Notice that ‘He’. Even though the situation looked bleak, God admits to being responsible for where they find themselves. It was He that carried them there and even though they didn’t see it at the time. It was His doing they were there. Sometimes it’s so difficult to understand His plan isn’t it? Yet He had a plan for His people and their future and this event was a stepping stone; a means to an end for their salvation and prosperity. He was the direct cause and I’m sure they didn’t feel good or sense God had a plan in their misery; separated and abandoned thousands of miles from their homeland. Yet God still gave His divine instruction, “Build homes and plan to stay. Plant gardens and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it for it’s welfare will determine your welfare.”

Wow!! God’s commands were to build, marry, plant, and eat even though their circumstances seemed hostile! In other words, get over it, accept reality, settle down you’ll be here for a while, so bloom where you’re planted.

In verse 11 God speaks comfort into their gloom and despair. He has plans for their good and offers hope for their future in spite of visible circumstances. Their responsibility is obedience to Him. This promise was specific to the exiles in Babylon, but God’s words still speak clear to us today and His promise has brought hope to millions of God’s people in difficult circumstances. Sometimes we may find He’s led us out of our homeland or can we say, comfort zone? It may not seem fair but in these times, our obedience to Him is crucial, if we are to benefit and prosper with His blessing. Let’s be challenged today in our places of discomfort and in our exiles, to put our feelings aside to hear His Truth, receive His counsel and follow Him in obedience!

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