A MERCIFUL CHOICE In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him…

  JESUS— OUR LIGHT AND PEACE And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:76-79 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZc8fRRBXbM             John was the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was to prepare the way of the Lord” (Luke 3:4). He would tell of how…

THE LORD IS WITH YOU  It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. —Deuteronomy 31:8 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. —Deuteronomy 32:39             See? Our Lord will not leave us nor forsake us! We do not need to be distressed, distraught, troubled, anxious, disturbed or worried. Are you feeling any of that? As followers of Jesus we are encouraged…

A TEST! For forty years I led you in the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.   You ate no bread and drank no wine or strong drink, so that you might know that I am the LORD your God. —Deuteronomy 29:5-6             While The Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years our Lord took care of them. Miraculously He caused their clothes not to wear out. Their sandals also did not wear out either. Think about how our Lord cared for them just in this area!   Wow!             We know that He provided food for them for every day for forty years as…

GOD IS IN CONTROL If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God— the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not…

YOUR ARE TREASURED! And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. —Deuteronomy 26:18             God’s treasured possession! Fellow follower of Jesus that is what we are. We are the “apple of His eye” (Psalm 17:8; Zechariah 2:8). We are “a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9). “Both the one who makes people…

THE GREAT I AM Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”   “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”   They all condemned him…

FEAR’S PERMEATION Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.” —Deuteronomy 20:8             Isn’t it interesting that when going to battle those who were afraid or fainthearted were allowed to go home.   This was because they could be a negative influence and so “the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”   It is interesting how the fearful and fainthearted can be a negative, permeating influence on others.             The same is true today. Just as “a little leaven works through…

BEWARE OF MISUNDERSTANDING SOMEONE’S SERVICE While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them…

BE JUST & NOT BRIBED Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. —Deuteronomy 16:19 Let’s take a look at some things that are mentioned in this above verse. Do not deny justice. We are to be honest and fair. Judges, government officials, business leaders, education officials, church leaders, parents and people in general are all called to be just in their dealing with others.   Do not show partiality. We are not to be biased in our decisions. That is, we are not to have preconceived ideas about a…