SHE SHALL BRING FORTH A SON

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

What a beautiful thought! God with us. God in the flesh, coming down to mortal men. Dwelling amongst us. Coming down as a baby, born in the most humble place...a manger. Coming down. Living with us, crying with us, laughing with us, sharing in our temptations, sharing in our joys, but without SIN! God with us. Jesus, coming to be the sacrifice for all man kind. Jesus, the son of God, God in the flesh. King of Kings and Lord or Lords, choosing to dwell with sinful man, to live and die for us! We are the ones with the sin. We are the ones who are not worthy, yet God saw fit to come in the form of Jesus His only begotten Son and to willingly die so that we might live! What an awesome and loving God we serve! And all of this, a free gift to us. All we have to do is confess our sins, be sorry for them, forsake them and ask God to forgive us, and tell him we accept the free gift of salvation through his son Jesus Christ. We are guilty, but Jesus already paid the price! This Christmas receive the best gift ever! The free gift of salvation through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

John 3: 16, 17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water
Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters
Did you know that your baby boy would walk where angels trod
When you've kissed your little baby you've kissed the face of GOD!
Mary did you know?

Who is Leading?

"O Lord , I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23).
"Lead me in a plain path" (Ps. 27:14).

Many people want to direct God, instead of resigning themselves to be directed by Him; to show Him a way, instead of passively following where He leads. --Madame Guyon

I said: "Let me walk in the field";
God said: 'Nay, walk in the town";
I said: "There are no flowers there";
He said: "No flowers, but a crown."I said: "But the sky is black,
There is nothing but noise and din";
But He wept as He sent me back,
"There is more," He said, "there is sin

I said: "But the air is thick,
And fogs are veiling the sun";
He answered: "Yet souls are sick,
And souls in the dark undone."

 I said: "I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me, they say";
He answered me, "Choose tonight,
If I am to miss you, or they."

I pleaded for time to be given;
He said: "Is it hard to decide?
It will not seem hard in Heaven
To have, followed the steps of your Guide."

I cast one look at the fields,
Then set my face to the town;
He said: "My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"

Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He;
And I walk in a light Divine,
The path I had feared to see.--George MacDonald

THANK YOU LORD!

Psalms Chapter 136

1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Are you THANKFUL for what God has done for you? God has sent His only begotton Son so that WE could have eternal life! Jesus died that I might live! Jesus died that you might live! But it didn't stop there! He rose again and lives eternally and through Him we can have eternal life too. Have you excepted His free gift? Are you thankful for Jesus? If Jesus has changed your life and made it new, I challenge you to leave your testimony in the comment section and give GOD the glory! Let's be THANKFUL! Shine your light for Jesus! If your not saved, Jesus wants to save you! All you have to do is be sorry for your sin, turn away from it (repent) ask Jesus into your heart and tell him you except his gift of salvation! Jesus said to come! Come to Jesus TODAY! You will NEVER regret it!

Thank you Lord for saving my soul!
Thank you Lord for making me whole!
Thank you Lord for giving to me
Thy GREAT SALVATION so FULL and FREE!

Don't Give Up...

Psalms 31:24
Be of good courage, and he shall STRENGTHEN your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.


Psalms 119:28
My soul melteth for heaviness: STRENGTHEN thou me according unto thy word.


1 Peter 5:10
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, STRENGTHEN, settle [you].


Psalms 27:14
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall STRENGTHEN thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Is your heart heavy? Do you wonder if you can go on? Do you wonder if God is still there? Don't give up. God is there. And He knows your pain and your suffering. His word says that after ye have suffered a while He will make you perfect, stablish you and Strengthen you. Sometimes we go through hard places because God is doing a work in us or working things OUT of us. Let Him have His way. He knows what is best.

Remember, we can trust a saviour who died just so that we might live. Trust Him.

Have a great Day in the Lord!

Don't give up~ God will fullfil His promises~

Delayed

"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners a land that is not theirs; . . . they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance" (Gen. 15:12-14).

An assured part of God's pledged blessing to us is delay and suffering. A delay in Abram's own lifetime that seemed to put God's pledge beyond fulfillment was followed by seemingly unendurable delay of Abram's descendants. But it was only a delay: they "came out with great substance." The pledge was redeemed.

God is going to test me with delays; and with the delays will come suffering, but through it all stands God's pledge: His new covenant with me in Christ, and His inviolable promise of every lesser blessing that I need. The delay and the suffering are part of the promised blessing; let me praise Him for them today; and let me wait on the Lord and be of good courage and He will strengthen my heart. --C. G. Trumbull

Unanswered yet the prayer your lips have pleaded
In agony of heart these many years?
Does faith begin to fail? Is hope departing?
And think you all in vain those falling tears?
Say not the Father hath not heard your prayer;
You shall have your desire sometime, somewhere.

Unanswered yet? Nay do not say ungranted;
Perhaps your work is not yet wholly done.
The work began when first your prayer was uttered,
And God will finish what He has begun.
If you will keep the incense burning there,
His glory you shall see sometime, somewhere.

Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered,
Her feet are firmly planted on the Rock;
Amid the wildest storms she stands undaunted,
Nor quails before the loudest thunder shock.
She knows Omnipotence has heard her prayer,
And cries, "It shall be done" -- sometime, somewhere.
--Miss Ophelia G. Browning

-Streams in the Desert-

It is so easy to get frustrated in the "delays", but I have found during all the delays, I can hear that still small voice saying "you have need of patience". We never know WHY God allows delays, but He tells us in His word to "trust him" and to "wait on Him" and then He will strengthen us. His timing is ALWAYS PERFECT! Don't give up in the making of a miracle, don't give up on prayer, don't give up on God!

Don't give up on prayer
or give into despair
Could be the answers going to come today!

Have a great day in the Lord! :D

Make A Joyful Noise Unto The Lord!

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

Psalms 98:4-8

With all the Holidays just around the corner, and all the different events being planned, and all the "works" being done in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ it is easy to get stressed out and have your "Joy" fizzle away! And isn't that just what the devil would like? For us, God's saints, to be so worn out that we can't even make a joyful noise? That we are unable to be thankful. That we are unable to "shine" for Jesus?

There are SO many things that can threaten to steal away that Joy and cause us to just throw up our hands and say, "what's the use anyways?! Forget it!". But that would not be a joyful noise for us, for the souls we are trying to reach, or (most importantly) to the Lord! One thing I am learning is when life tries to take away my joy by all the different happenings that I have no control over, I have to just get on my knees and ask God to help me get my focus off of the turmoil and hustle and craziness and back on to Him. Help me to keep my eyes on the Lord. Help me to do my best to have my focus on keeping the right attitude, the right spirit, and the right vision by keeping Him and His purpose (not my own)as my focal point. When I do that I find that the load all the sudden becomes much lighter and my "Joy" becomes UNSPEAKABLE and then I am able to "MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD!"

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands!
Make a joyful noise to the LORD!
Serve the Lord with GLADNESS
Serve the LORD with GLADNESS!
Come before his presence with singing

Know ye that the Lord
He is GOD
It is He that hath made us
and not we ourselves

We are His people
We are His people
And the sheep of His Pasture!

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands!
Make a joyful noise to the LORD!
Serve the Lord with GLADNESS
Serve the LORD with GLADNESS!
Come before his presence with singing

Know ye that the Lord
He is GOD!
It is He that hath made us
and not we ourselves.

We are His people
We are His people
And the sheep of His Pasture!

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and praise
Be thankful unto the Lord and bless his name.
For the Lord is good, his mercy is ever lasting
And his truth endureth to all generations.
Make a joyful noise...Unto the Lord

Prisoner of the Lord

Joy in Prison

"And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper."
(Gen. 39:20-23).

When God lets us go to prison because we have been serving Him, and goes there with us, prison is about the most blessed place in the world that we could be in. Joseph seems to have known that. He did not sulk and grow discouraged and rebellious because. "everything was against him." If he had, the prison-keeper would never have trusted him so. Joseph does not even seem to have pitied himself.

Let us remember that if self pitty is allowed to set in, that is the end of us -- until it is cast utterly from us. Joseph just turned over everything in joyous trust to God, and so the keeper of the prison turned over everything to Joseph. Lord Jesus, when the prison doors close in on me, keep me trusting, and keep my joy full and abounding. Prosper Thy work through me in prison: even there, make me free indeed. --Selected

A little bird I am,
Shut from the fields of air,
And in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there;
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee.

My cage confines me round,
Abroad I cannot fly,
But though my wing is closely bound,
My soul is at liberty;
For prison walls cannot control
The flight, the freedom of the soul.

I have learnt to love the darkness of sorrow; there you see the brightness of His face. --Madame Guyon

-Streams in the Desert-

This devotion also reminded me that even our Lord and Saviour went to prison, and then was beaten and hung on a tree so that we might have the hope of Heaven and a better life. Let us do our best to "sing" praises even in our heavy or darkest times and trials. We have everything we need if we have Jesus!

Have a great day in the Lord! :)