THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 24, 2012

THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL
And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.   Isaiah 12:1-6

Jesus is the comfort of Israel.  He came to seek and to save her.  He loves her with an everlasting love.  How wonderful!!   The Consolation of Israel is a title for the Messiah among the Jewish people.  Simeon, a believer in Jesus, declared at the seeing of the Christ child that the long-awaited Messiah had arrived:
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2:25-32 


 Have you ever been comforted or loved deeply in a dry and weary land?  Have you ever had your heart consoled or your soul refreshed?  Have you ever been saved from your enemies?  Have you ever had a savior?  If you have ever known  deep comfort and consolation, then you know that there are wells of water in this salvation--streams of thankfulness, rivers of joy, springs of refreshing.  Jesus is the consolation of Israel--giving her praise, joy, and refreshing. 

Today, enjoy Jesus in spirit and in truth!

FORBID THEM NOT

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 23, 2012

FORBID THEM NOT

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought  them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

There is so much violence against children.  The innocent ones are so often scorned and set aside.  As adults, many of us care not to tolerate the distractions that little ones bring.  We want quiet and order and an undisturbed environments.  We want adult talk, and adult conduct and conversation.  But Jesus says that we are to "suffer the little ones."  Yes, we are to move aside for the little ones.  We are to make room for them; ensure that our environments are child friendly, child welcoming, child permitting.  Jesus obviously doesn't see little ones as ramunctious creatures to be put aside.  He instead wants us to learn lessons from our children.  They are beautiful.  Their eyes are full of wonder and innocence.  They are caring, holding us close--trusting and believing in our good.  They are full of energy and life and creativity.  They are like the kingdom of God.

This brings me to thoughts of the Christmas story.  Do you think that there was no room at the inn in Bethlehem because the innkeepers didn't want to be bothered with the possibility of a newborn in their midst?  I wonder if the innkeepers ignored the birth of Mary's firstborn son, leaving him outside in the manger (read Luke 2:7).

Today, let us not ignore the little ones...let  us not forbid them. 

UPHELD IN INTEGRITY

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 19, 2012

UPHELD IN INTEGRITY

And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.
Psalm 41:12

Trials and persecution come to all of us.  Nevertheless, as we live lives of purity, sincerity, and truth, we are divinely protected in every situation.  God will uphold you in your integrity, but the wicked walk in slippery places. 

Today, know that your integrity will bring you to peace.

HE WILL COMMAND HIS CHILDREN AND HOUSEHOLD

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORDDAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 18, 2012 HE WILL COMMAND HIS CHILDREN AND HOUSEHOLD

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. Genesis 18:19

It takes a lot of hard work to keep your children and household under the rule of God.  You must preserve them from the influences and affections of the world.  But God knew that Abraham would overcome the trials and frustrations to command his children and household.  God knew that Abraham would keep, guide, secure his children and household in the way of the LORD.

Today, I pray that God will give you the strength to do that which is difficult, but expected. 

OUR FAITH SHALL NOT FAIL

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012

  OUR FAITH SHALL NOT FAIL

And the Lord said,Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31,32

Satan is busy trying to sift us.  He uses everyone and everything to attack us, in hopes of disouraging us and destroying our faith.  But Jesus is praying for us, and he has determined to sustain our faith. Regardless of life's circumstance, we are divinely sustained in and through every situation. "It is  God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man" (Psalm 18:47, 48).  "It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man" (2 Samuel 22:48,49).
Even as great forces rise against you, the Lord will keep you and raise you up above the conflict. He will make your faith strong and secure. 
Today, our faith shall fail not.

BEHOLD, AND BE WHOLE

IN THE BEGINNING…THE WORD

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012
BEHOLD, AND BE WHOLE

“And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” Numbers 21:9

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:14, 15

“Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes, we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:4

I often meditate on the cross.  I behold it in my mind, and think on the goodness of Jesus.  We must learn to behold Christ on the cross; for as we consider the blood of Jesus, the blessed sacrifice that our Savior gave, we are made whole.  Yes, we are healed in the beholding.  Not only are we healed, Jesus will take our grief and sorrow to himself, when we call on Him.  Moreover, in a divine and supernatural way, the body of Christ is now afforded beauty instead of regrets, joy instead of mourning, and the ability to praise instead of the heaviness (weariness).  Scripture says it like this: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek,; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  To proiclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified" (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Do you realize the power of the cross?  We have a priest “after the order of Melchisedec” (see Hebrews, Chapter 7).  Jesus' sacrifice has the “power of an endless life” (Hebrews 7:16); for Jesus “abideth a priest continually” (Hebrew 7:3).  The cross is not a dead symbol representing a one time occurance that  we are to recall on Good Friday.  No, we must live in the power and the eternality of the cross.  We must receive the newness of life that Christ purchased for us, and not only the priceless gift of salvation, but health and wholeness.  Jesus was once bruised, wounded and chastised so that the people of God would  be forever blessed, forever whole, forever healthy, forever safe in Christ Jesus. 

Today, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.

INTENSIVE CARE

IN THE BEGINNING…THE WORD

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
INTENSIVE CARE

And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Matthew 8:14-17

 Jesus not only purchased our salvation, he heals our diseases.  In Psalm103:3 the Lord is the one “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.”  Throughout the New Testament Jesus is the one who loves mankind and restores health:  “And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24).

 Sometimes we forget how much of our ministry to others is to help them feel better.  With love and gentleness, we are to serve one another... and care.  The Apostle Paul said of his ministry, “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us” I Thessalonians 2:7, 8  Wow.  That is intensive care. 

Today, and forevermore, let us be gentle among one another, restoring health through the Spirit of God.