A Child Is Born - A Son Is Given...

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, 

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…

(Isaiah 9:6-7)

A Child is born

Immanuel ~ God with us - the Word made flesh.

Birthed in Bethlehem among the shepherds.

Born of a woman - her womb His home.

God incarnate - His cries pierce heaven.

The promise of Israel - chosen and manifest for us.

A Son is given

Son of the Living God, beloved of His Father.

The son of a carpenter, beloved of his earthly father.

The Son of Man - given for all mankind.

The government will be upon His Shoulder

Ruler of all - King of kings and Lord of lords

The earth is His in all fullness and form.

He rules in righteousness and His judgments are just.

He reigns with love and bears our burden.

His name will be called Wonderful

He is wonderful and too lofty to comprehend.

His works are marvelous and beyond words.

Mercy and grace are His manifold gifts.

Counselor

His Spirit guides us into all truth.

His ways are higher and His wisdom is renown.

His counsel is wise and His thoughts are pure.

He advocates for justice and fairness.

Mighty God

His name is El Elyon - our God Most High  

He is Elohim - Creator of all things.

He is mighty to save - a strong tower of refuge.

Everlasting Father

He is the Eternal God - from everlasting to everlasting.

Father of the living - now and forevermore.

Prince of Peace

He is the Prince of the earth - keeper of all things.

Love is His scepter and healing is His balm.

His peace shall increase and abound more and more.

His peace is desired above all treasures on earth.

What does this Child mean to you?  Does Christmas warm your heart and stir your spirit?  Does Jesus Christ fulfill your longing and comfort your soul?  This Child is like none other...

 What Child Is This?

What child is this, who, laid to rest,

On Mary's lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

   This, this is Christ the King,

   Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

   Haste, haste to bring Him laud,

   The babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christian, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,

Come, peasant, king, to own Him;

The Kings of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

William Chatterton Dix  (1837-1898)

If you do not yet have a relationship with Jesus Christ - please take a moment to visit the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assoc. website for an introduction on how you can know Him personally 
and begin a new life as a Christian believer.

Billy Graham - STEPS TO PEACE WITH GOD

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to  embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. 

Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.

A Child Is Born - A Son Is Given...

Gold, Frankincense And Myrrh - Your Gift Is Precious Too!

"After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was - the star they had seen in the east! It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route."   (Matthew 2:9-12 HCSB)

KING


        GOD


              SACRIFICE

What do these three words mean to you this Christmas season?

As a Christian, they should stir your heart and stretch your soul. When you really contemplate the weight of their meaning and the stature of their significance, you can't help but fall to your knees as did the wise men of old.

Matthew 2:1-2 records details of the magi’s visit from the East to pay homage to the newborn King as follows:  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Traditionally we celebrate the magi’s worship of our Lord – otherwise known as Epiphany – in January, but I wanted to highlight it during this season of giving.  The three gifts offered represent Jesus Christ as our King, Priest and Prophet.  Scripture references are Daniel 9:24-27, Deuteronomy 18:15, and Psalm 110:4.  

Some church historians, particularly in the West, have named the three magi in Scripture as: Melchior, a king of Arabia who most likely was the oldest of the kings; Balthasar, a king from Saba (present day Yemen); and Caspar, a king from Tarsus (present day southern Turkey).

Their unusual and highly valued offerings were:  Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Gold was a gift befitting a king. In the book of Exodus, the tabernacle in which God Himself dwelt housed various items which were either crafted from solid gold or overlaid in gold. 

Gold itself is symbolic of royalty and wealth, and is representative of heaven’s grandeur on the streets of gold mentioned in the book of Revelation. 

 Frankincense is for a Priest and was a chief ingredient in the incense which was to be burned continually in the tabernacle.  In the book of Revelation the prayers of the saints are rising to God’s throne as burning incense. 

Myrrh is for a Savior who died for the world.  Myrrh was a chief ingredient in the anointing oil used in ceremonial rituals to dedicate kings and prophets to the Lord’s service. It was also used in the burial process along with other herbs and spices to preserve the body as mentioned in John 19:39.

You say, “What can I bring Jesus?”  I’m not royalty… I’ve not traveled thousands of miles to see Him… I don’t have an extravagant gift to hand Him.  Ah – but you do. His desire is to have your heart this Christmas season…

This Christmas season celebrate remembering that JESUS is the reason for the season...

We Three Kings of Orient Are  

[written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr.  in 1857]

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together.  Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

Gold, Frankincense And Myrrh - Your Gift Is Precious Too!

The Magnificat - God Had A Plan All Along

My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.  For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  For He who is mighty has done great things for me.  And holy is His name.  And His mercy is on those who fear Him.  From generation to generation.  He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,  As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.

     The Magnificat  (Luke 1:46-55  NKJ)


Two women connected through deep family roots.  One old and unable to conceive.  The other a young virgin.

Yet, just prior to the utterance of one of the most famous songs ever sung, these two devout Jewish soon-to-be mothers had a common bond that went beyond their physical condition.

Elizabeth was most likely Mary's cousin and her name means "God is my oath." She was born of the lineage of Aaron, and was the wife of Zacharias, who was a priest of the division of Abijah - an order appointed by King David for temple service (I Chronicles 24:10).

Mary was descended from the house of David.  She was told that her Son would receive "the throne of his father David," and also because Christ is described as being of "the seed of David according to the flesh" (Acts 2:30 ; Romans 1:3).

When Mary visited her kinswoman Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea both women were excited to see each other.  Mary had been told of Elizabeth's advanced stage of pregnancy by the angel Gabriel, and no doubt Elizabeth had heard of her close relative's betrothal to Joseph and their baby's impending birth.

However, it was when Mary greeted her that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and the revelation of the Christ child was made known. The fact that the baby within her - the forerunner to the Messiah - leaped for joy inside his mother's womb is indicative of the Lord's plan and how perfect it is.

Elizabeth and Zacharias were faithful, righteous and devoted to God. Zacharias served in the temple according to custom.  While the whole assembly of the people were praying outside, he was in the sanctuary of the Lord burning the incense.  An angel of the Lord appeared to him - standing to the right side of the altar of incense.  Zacharias was startled and overcome with fear, but the angel [Gabriel] said to him:

"Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb. He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of father to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people."

This news foretold the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3-5 - "the voice of one crying in the wilderness".  After the birth of their beloved son John [the Baptist], Zacharias would prophesy, "...And child, you will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins..."  

Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel in Nazareth in the sixth month of her cousin's pregnancy.  He said to her, "Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you... Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

After it was explained to her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the holy One born to her would be called the Son of God, Gabriel reassured her saying, "And consider your relative Elizabeth - even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God."

It is that last part of Gabriel's announcement that I personally love the most... Nothing is impossible with God.  Both women received their miracles. Jesus Himself reiterates His promise to us - "With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27).


One woman's promise fulfilled was another woman's fulfilled promise. 

A dead womb became the life giving incubator for the world's most infamous preacher, who willingly "decreased" that the Savior of the world might "increase" and take upon His shoulders the sin of all mankind.

And a young woman willingly submitted to her Lord, fulfilling prophesy and being the first face He beheld as He opened His eyes for the first time on earth in human form.

God had a plan all along...

Enjoy the performance of this Christmas classic by Josh Groban

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. 
Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

The Magnificat - God Had A Plan All Along