Bible 351

 I used to wonder how I’d respond if I were threatened to be killed if I didn’t renounce my faith. I’m not concerned about it now because ‘what do I have to lose?’  Losing my life for the truth would result in seeing paradise, as Jesus promised the thief on the cross. But in the end if time, to be with Christ followers of every language and people group will be an awesome sight. Revelation gives us a hint of great things to come, especially to those who have faith. I do not want to be complacent or negligent, but anticipating what will happen. No more pain or suffering, but total union with each other and our Savior!

Longing 3

 One word stands out to me as I read the verses concerning Mary. ‘Magnify’ is the description of her experience with complete joy. Her soul makes bigger what God is telling her so that her expression is a clear response of what she has been told. I’m wondering if you and I magnify the message of His birth?  Do we make a clear expression, based on what is happening in our soul?  Can others see how we are changing?  

Mary did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you

Mary did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God

Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Mary did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am

Oh, Mary, did you know?

Bible 344

 I used to read parts of Revelation with fear. Thinking about end times and the suffering that might take place can cause a lot of anxiety. But John told it like he experienced it. He was full o f hope that God is in charge and will put a final end to evil and injustice. The first century readers of John’s words experienced a partial fulfillment of what John saw with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. Only God knows when all final events will take place. Like Nicky said, we still have time to influence others for good. It’s easy to be complacent or negligent with our worship and awe of who God really is. Malachi and the whole of Scripture point to a deep reverence for Him, which changes who we are. 

Bible 343

Revelation seems scary but full of hope. The characteristics if Jesus do not include the word passive and weak. There is immense strength in His lamb and lion like qualities. He is gentle but fierce, ready to take action by His sacrifice for us, but full of action to take care of all wrong doing and injustice.  I used to have a weak appreciation of who Jesus really is. But understanding more fully, how could anyone not worship Him.  Haman learned of his fate without any time to repent and make changes in his life. Esther and Mordecai used every opportunity to change events without notice by anyone. The same could be said today, God is moving events into place with few noticing anything, all the while, each of us need to get our lives in order. 

Butterfly Effect

 “There was a mathematician, Edward Norton Lorenz, and he described what he called the butterfly effect. The idea of the butterfly effect is very small events can sometimes have staggeringly great and unpredictable consequences. And a famous article about that talked about how a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil could impact a tornado, when it arose and where it would land in Texas weeks later.

Alan Turing from the UK wrote, The displacement of a single electron by one billionth of a centimeter at one moment may make the difference between a man being killed by an avalanche a year later or escaping from it. We are not in control the way that we think we are. And in fact, Luke is saying precisely this word.

There is another purpose that's going on here. So there is another way of looking at the Orchard of the Universe. And here we have God at work.

And then we have Jesus, who is going to make God known to our world. Appears to be this insignificant little baby in a manger. Come back to the manger.”

“And then there is the world. And then there is this town called Bethlehem, and Caesar is way down here. And so the Bible says actually, the way that the world is running is quite different than the way the world think that it's running.

Like Caesar issues a decree, sets everything in motion. Like Yertle the Turtle, if you know that old book, I'm the king of all that I see. All these other turtles are way down beneath me.

But in the story of Yertle the Turtle, a tiny little turtle named Mack gives a burp, and that disrupts the throne of the king and the throne of Caesar. The rule of power is going to be changed. Because what happens is, as a result of this decree that Caesar thinks is just his idea, just his power, it sets in motion a string of events where one obscure man named Joseph leaves his town and goes to a city called Bethlehem, where as it turns out, a prophetic prediction was made many centuries ago.

This is in Micah, Chapter 5. But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will”

From John Ortberg | Become New: 10. How to Welcome Jesus into the Chaos of Life | John Ortberg, Dec 13, 2024

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/john-ortberg-become-new/id1554045522?i=1000680239948&r=395

This material may be protected by copyright. 

From John Ortberg | Become New: 10. How to Welcome Jesus into the Chaos of Life | John Ortberg, Dec 13, 2024

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/john-ortberg-become-new/id1554045522?i=1000680239948&r=319

This material may be protected by copyright.

Longing 2

 If an angel showed up tonight to give us a message, would we believe what he had to tell us?  I hope I would not be deep in cynicism and negativity. I hope I would be anticipating what God wants me to know. I hope my eyes and ears are open to what the kingdom is all about in my here and now moments. In reality, I do not need an angelic visit, because God’s word and His presence are with me. 

“Zechariah, Luke 1 67, was filled with the Holy Spirit.

By the way, you can have that same experience. The idea is kind of topped off, not that Zechariah had never known the Holy Spirit before, but right now is just inspired, deeply moved by the Spirit and prophesied. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Because he has come to his people and redeemed them, he has raised up a horn of salvation for us. That's an image of strength made us strong in the house of his servant David, as he said through his holy prophets of long ago, a salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham, to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, to enable us to serve him without fear. Now this is something that's available to me and to you today.

In holiness and righteousness, before him the Lord is with you all our days. And then Zechariah turns to his new little son. How often did he sing this song to his boy?”

From John Ortberg | Podcast - Become New: 9. How Grounded Optimism Dramatically Improves Your Outlook on Life | John Ortberg, Dec 12, 2024

Bible 342

 What has been the best celebration you’ve ever been to?  I can think of Christmas gatherings and birthday parties, but they are weak compared to the celebration described in Revelation 4. The worship and focus of everyone and everything toward Jesus will be over the top. It may come sooner than we can imagine but Hod has it all planned with precision. 

The story of Esther and Mordecai was a sudden turn of events for Haman. Like Pippa said, thinking too much of oneself turns out to not be a good deal.