In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But 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; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
(Luke 2:8-16 NASB)

James 4:7 says, in part, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” But note I said, in part. That’s no the whole story and certainly taken out of context. The entire verse reads:

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 (NASB)

It’s a two parter. Yes, we must resist the devil but in order for him to flee from us, we must also submit to God. If we don’t, why would devil flee? He knows it just will take a few cracks on us and he’s in! But if we are submitting to God, we armed with the sword of the Word and the shield of faith. The devil has no chance and he knows it! Of course he’ll flee!

But I, like others I’m sure, struggle with this. I try to resist the devil, but when sin looks to better for me at that moment, I don’t submit to God and guess who devours me? Ya. If I only would have submitted to God, that would have not been the case.

This is a great verse for us all to mediate on and to treasure in your heart. Submit and he will flee!

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of 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.
Hebrews 12:2 (NASB)

We all know what faith is, believing in something you can’t see, basically. Faith in Jesus and in what He’s done is probably the ultimate of all faiths. No other religion puts all it’s hope on one man. In fact, other religions put all of their hope on yourself and what you can do. But with Christianity, it’s all in what Jesus did and that takes a lot of faith.

In witnessing to people, I often get the question posed to me, “How do I believe in this? How do I believe Jesus did this?” That’s a great question and I always answer it that they just need to have faith. The evidence is there before them in God’s Word, but they need to have faith in what happened and what is to happen. Oddly, now that I think of it, I’ve never got the follow up question of how to have that faith. If I did, here’s the answer.

Jesus creates that faith in us and the perfects it. When we’re saved, it’s not like a light bulb and we have all of our faith, it will have to mature as many aspects of our walk does. Think of Peter and him walking on water. He saw Jesus, but his faith was still not mature enough to crest toward his Saviour before him because of his lack of faith. Thomas is another example of little faith and from it, we even have a cliché now.

These two men that walked with God Himself still lacked all their needed faith. But we have this wonderful promise that we will have it all soon. And not only will we have all of our matured faith, but it will be perfect faith! A faith that will allow us to, yes, never doubt anything again! Wow, that will be an awesome day, won’t it?!

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 (MKJV)

So often we all want to be like somebody. Someone we all respect and look up to. When Michael Jordon was at his height, the phrase “I want to be like Mike” was popular. Who wouldn’t want to have? The was the best basketball player then, and maybe for ever, and he made it look effortless. No problem! Yes, so everyone wanted to be like Mike.

There are other people in history, as well as currently, people would like to be like. But none of those people can compare to a King coming to his people and serving them. No, not one. All these people many wish to be like have their own agenda. Even those with the greatest intention had their own agenda when you really think about it. My earthly hero, Martin Luther King, Jr., had his; to better the life of his people. While many would argue that he served his people (and even died doing it), he still had an agenda for himself…and his people.

Christ had an agenda. But His was unlike Martin’s or Mike’s. His was to belittle himself and serve His Creation. A little like Mike stepping down as the NBA great he was and then working as a janitor at McDonald’s.

But what Christ did was even lower then that. This is God we’re talking about. He became flesh and walked among sinners. He had no home in His last years and He had no job for money. He went from town to town, preaching a message. A shattering message that the Jews did not expect. Their King was to rule over all and sit high upon His thrown. No do as Christ was doing! Further, what King would tell everyone that He was going to die…for them?! Yes, exactly, what King would do that?

And He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will. Matthew 26:39 (MKJV)

Would you, if you had the power of God, say such a thing? For the scum that you created and turned on you. Would you do that for them? Would you say, “I will do anything you wish, Father?” Be honest, folks. I know I wouldn’t. Not even for one of my enemies that I hated the least!

But look, the bar has been raised, as it is always the case with Jesus, when we become believers.

For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8 (MKJV)

We can not offer our life for others in heaven, but we can offer the same humbleness that Christ had on that night, on that day upon the cross. We can be like Jesus!

“Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin; Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice.
Isaiah 30:1-2a (NKJV)

Isaiah is one of my favorite prophets of the Old Testament. His regard for God’s Holiness and decree to Israel for her need to by holy has always struck me. This morning, this verse raised my eye brows as I read what it said. I have read this book before but never caught this particular verse and what it was really saying until this morning. I guess this tree stuck out today more then the it had in the past.

What pricked me was what the Lord was saying through Isaiah. While this was a cry to ancient Israel, it is still as much as a cry to us now as it was then. I know so many people, myself included, will take mans advice without even considering the Lord’s advice, at all! Paul tells us to pray in everything and that would fit perfect here. But do we? I can say that I don’t. I know I need to.

These two verses are such an encouragement because we are to go to our Lord when we need to be counseled. Remember, Isaiah called Jesus Himself the Wonderful Counselor. Why do we turn to man’s advice if we have the perfect advice of Jesus?

One another interesting note on this is the word counsel. I find it very interesting when Christian’s seek professional counseling from doctors that are not Christian’s. While God definitely can give us all help through technology (through medicine, for example) and such, if this doctor is not seeking God’s wisdom, then the counsel you are getting is that of Egypt, not God. I’ve heard a lot of Christian’s, some close friends, really stress how much they accept and feed off these counselors advice. If you look back to the first verse above, look what God calls us that does not seek His counsel. Ouch! This reminder from me isn’t pointed to just the “professional counselor” seekers, but to all of us. I point it out to myself, too.

Then it happened as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
2 Samuel 6:16 (NASB)

I found this verse very interesting as I read it this morning. Not for the fact that David’s wife was jealous of his love to the Lord, but for David’s display of his love to the Lord. I mean, what struck me was here is a king, one of the most respected kings all of Israel and he’s outside before the crowds…”…leaping and dancing before the Lord”. Imagine G.W. Bush doing this (outside of the criticism he’d get from the Left.) Wouldn’t that strike you as odd? But the deeper question to all this is, why would it strike us odd?

The key here is it shouldn’t. It should be perfectly normal within what we’re taught in the Bible. Aren’t we to love our Lord with all of our heart and soul? Wasn’t that what David was doing? Isn’t that what we should be doing?

I love the Old Testament for things like this. Perspective. It’s a big thing and something that is very much needed in my life. And to look back at David and see this great king leaping and dancing in the streets for God is a great encouragement for me. Jesus saved me. Should I do the same? Shouldn’t you?

None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob; for they did not follow Me fully, except Caleb…and… Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD fully.
Numbers 32:11-12 (NASB)

In my reading this morning, I read of the command God gave the Israeli men. None over 20, except two, where allowed into the Promise Land because of their disobedience to God. What really stuck out to me is His Word stating, “…they did not follow Me fully…” (my emphasis). What blessings and promises am I missing for not fully following my Lord? What is my disobedience hindering me from?

Like those men denied to the promise land, we too are being told right here that we will be denied our Promise if we do not fully follow Jesus. I know I can look with the plank in my eye at other Christian’s who I’ve seen a reverse (or back-slide) change in their life, but what about me? What about you? In letting this settle in my mind today since this morning, I need to first realize that I am not fully following Jesus and that I am hindering my entering to the Promise Land. I know I want to be more like Caleb and Joshua and less like the others from Egypt. Do you?

“The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;”
– Psalms 138:8 (NKJV)

Isn’t it interesting in an imperfect world that we can be perfected? I mean think about it. Really, read this verse and think about it. I did and kept thinking, ‘But I can’t be perfect.’ But is that what the verse is saying? No, only things that concern me. Not everything about me. That’s the key, here.

So, the Lord is working on me. What concerns me is working toward perfection. When I will hit that mark, I don’t know. But, I know I will hit it because the Lord’s Word say it will happen. What a great promise to have!

In our election year, we here many promises. Promises that will be broken, by all candidates. It’s just a fact of life. It’s a fact of being man. But there is promise by one that will never be broken and that is by Jesus Christ. His promises are golden and true. He promised us that His life would give us eternal life if we just believe, but to those who don’t, they have a promise, too:

“So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
– Matthew 13:49-50 (NASB)

This is a grave promise that should be a wake up call to many. But in a day where “I’m a good person” is a key phrase, this verse needs to be elaborated more heavily. Thus Paul quotes the Old Testament with this declaration:

as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
Romans 3:10 (NASB)

No one is good, no one. God created the world and thus has rights to the rules that He, too, created. He is our referee and if we can not follow the rules, then sorry to say, we are wicked. Seems like a hard word to say, but again, God made the rules, we just broke them.

Remember, it only takes ONE rule to break to fail. Have you lied, ever? Have you used the Lord’s name in vain (I can’t tell you how many people I hear do this daily!) Have you ever put someone or something ahead of God? These are just basic stuff from the Ten Commandments, people. I KNOW everyone has broken at least one of these. I have, many times.

So what’s that say about us, then? Well Paul answers that, too, with the following:

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 (NASB)

We have all failed to play by God’s rules and thus we get one of two promises. Hell or Heaven. Which one will you choose? If you’re a good person, it’s only because you choose Christ, not your own wages…

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)

This has always been one of my favorite verses of the Bible. It’s so filled with hope in our daily lives that it really should be a daily meditation for us. I know, even though it’s a favorite verse of mine, I forget about this verse in the struggle of my day from time to time.

While the verse touches on the spiritual aspect of ones life, it is the spiritual life that guides your day. If you are not coming out of the gates in a well planted foundation with the Word of God on your heart, then you’re probably going have a day where you rely on your yoke. If you have a stressful day or the sky is falling or what ever may happen, well, that’s going to be a tough yoke to handle. Now if we start our day with Christ, then our yoke will be full of rest. Ya, rest!

Another aspect of the verse to point out it is when Christ says to take His yoke because we will “learn from [Him]“. Interesting, huh? How does one learn from taking someone else’s yoke? Well, I believe reading His Word, for one, is part of His yoke. We obviously learn much from His Word and it leads to a much easier day, for sure.

Which yoke will you take today?