emmaus

As a perservative, true Christians are living a lifestyle that is effecting those around them and saving them from eternal death. In my case, God brought a woman into my life at a time I needed a Christian example and advice most. My father was very important part of my life and he was dieing of cancer. Because of this woman's friendship and example I ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. I was baptized and 15 years later I try to live a life that will do the same for someone else. Christians are the salt of the earth in that what they add to life reflects God. Just as a negative influence can have an impact on others, so too can a Christian influence have a positive. Christians are to be a guiding light to the lost, it's in the flavoring that we add to life that we do so.

We should rejoice when persecuted because we are doing what we should, what is right, we've been heard and seen by the world just as the prophets and Jesus were. It is because of our faith in Jesus that we able to endure the hardship. It's not something that's enjoyed, but something that would be understood and endured. This is to be their reward for a life well lived in Jesus, storing up their treasures in heaven by accepting their circumstances on earth.

When we sincerely ask God to cleanse our hearts and the shackles and burdens are taken away, we are able to have a direct spiritual connection with God though Jesus. There is nothing to interfere between us and him. I just heard a preacher say yesterday that we lose sight of God when we focus on our grief or problems instead of God, that's how the devil deceives us. "Chronic" sinners can't see God because they don't have a pure heart. Their focus is on the sin in their life, not God. The only way we can have a pure heart is to ask God to cleanse us.

These are 2 very different value systems, one earthly the other spiritual. We can not serve 2 masters. If we are living for God and his righteousness there will be in direct conflict with those who are living a worldly lifestyle. Jesus is talking about Godly righteousness, about being justified by faith. The promise is that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled, they will receive blessings from God.

Christ's view of gentleness would be on the opposite end of the spectrum from the world's view, totally opposite. Humility is at the center of a servant's heart and we are to be servants just as Christ was.

We have to reach a point in our lives that we realize we are spiritualy dead without Jesus, we are spiritualy poverty stricken. We can be rich in worldly things but if we're spiritaul broken we're miserable. Spiritual mourning is necessary for a person to become a Christian. We have to be sorry for the sins we have commited and want to change. Christians have a common mourning for unrighteousness and injustice.

Each Beatitude consists of a statement and a fact. Maybe Jesus made each Beatitude a paradox so as to draw attention, to make the people stop and think about it. The relationship of the Beatitudes to the Fruit of the Spirit is attitude, their both about a spiritual attitude of living life.

Simeon and Anna are expecting deliverance of all people by God through a savior. For Jerusalem this would mean relief from their Roman oppressors, their King. For the Gentiles it would mean a savior, being accepted into the family of God. For Jesus it meant he had come to do the will of his father, he is the savior of the world. Jesus offers us forgiveness from our sins and life eternally with him.

Praise and thanksgiving were Simeon and Anna's main priority in life. They were devout. We nurture praise and thanksgiving in our lives by giving God time in our lives every day. Our journey started with one step and each day we draw closer. The journey will end in Heaven if we remain faithful and obey, praising and thanking God for who he is and what he does. Our culture is based on worldly wisdom and not on the power of prayer. Anna saw prayer as most important.

It is because of their righteousness, devotion and praise that they were sensitive to the holy spirit. Their hearts were prepared to hear when the holy spirit spoke to them. When we become too busy with worldly riches, cares and worries we take our eyes off Jesus.

If Simeon and Anna had never seen the Messiah their lives would still have been a testament to the Lord. It would have shown their faith, just as our lives do today. They lived in faith believing the promises God had made to them as we do today. Our lives are important today because we are a light for God that others can see and be drawn to.

We should abide in God's word as Joseph and Mary did the Law of Moses. We should obey God's commands as they did.

The Jewish people rejecting Jesus and the Gentiles being accepted into the family of God. Just as the wise men came and honored Jesus, so too does all who come and accept him as Savior. We should accept Jesus into our hearts, give ourselves to him and live for him.

It was appropriate for them to pay homage to the new born king, to acknowledge and honor him as king. The lavishness of the wise men's gifts reflected what was in their hearts by bringing the best that they could afford from their position in life and from their country. We should bring ourselves to the Lord. We should give him the best of our time, energy, effort, devotion and love. I like the legend of the little girl who only had weeds to give to Jesus and when she did they turned into a poinsettia. When we give to Jesus sincerely, he will make it beautiful.

It is a wise man indeed that seeks and humbles himself to the Lord. They had the knowledge to seek, find, know who baby Jesus was and they revere him. But with all their wisdom they weren't proud, they humbled themselves. By humbling ourselves and seeking the Lord, by making him the master of our life and leading others to him we will be like the wise men.

The star led the wise men to baby Jesus. They came to worship and honor him, they wanted to see this new born king of the Jews. Balaam's prophecy of a Star out of Jacob was a forshadow of the Star of Bethlehem.

This has been one of the best Christmas seasons ever for me. Preparing for Christmas by studying the advent has given me a greater joy. I'm always astonished when I think about love's pure light coming to earth in the form of a baby. Our simple little Christmas play at church told the story of Jesus' birth and one father, who had never been there before, came to see his daughter in the play. Going to the nursing home to share time, music, treats and to praise the Lord with the residents, this is Christmas.

Savior - one who saves Christ the Lord - anointed master Messiah - Yahweh Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity. Jesus was God incarnate.

The message of Jesus' birth came to the shepherds as a foreshadow of who the gospel would be preached to and by, the common, humble man. Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger because this was to be his way of life, his lifestyle. A common man's life not one as a rich, worldly king.

The journey to Bethlehem would have been extremely difficult for Mary because of all the pressure she was under, the people in the town were talking about her, a young girl 9 months pregnant, riding a donkey for 4 days, the cold weather. Where did they sleep at night while on their journey? This obviously tells us that pleasure isn't an indication of being in God's will. I think we will have different types of hardships being a consistent Christian, but there will be hardships either way. It's always easier to go with the flow. Will we have more hardships? Yes, because it's going to take more effort, we'll have to take stands against things we wouldn't other wise. But when it's over the joy and sense of accomplishment we feel having worked for the Lord will rejuvenate us.

Luke is saying that Jesus isn't fiction, Jesus lived during this time in history.

Joseph's obedience to the Lord shows that he loved and respected God and his commands. The significance of the son of David is that through Jesus the throne of David was estabished forever and Jesus will save his people from their sins, to live with him forever more.

The prophesies were completed when the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and Jesus was conceived in her, then God was with us.

The significance of the name Jesus is that it means he will save the people from their sins, which is why he came. The angel of the Lord told both Joseph and Mary to name him Jesus so they would never forget who he was.

If she wasn't stoned Mary's options would have been to live with her family, hurting her family's reputation and she and the baby being shunned, being a housekeeper or a prostitute never to marry again. Joseph's actions showed a man of integrity and discretion.