Favorite Christmas Quotes!

 

 

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  ~Norman Vincent Peale

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.  ~Charles Dickens

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.  ~Burton Hillis

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.  ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.  ~Washington Irving

Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.  ~Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby

CHRIST OUR MEDIATOR

We are living in a world of unrest and disputes, many of which, has to be settled using a mediator, one who has the  interest of both parties and seeks to help settle the dispute. The same is true in our relationship with God. Satan is always bringing accusations about us before God but we have Christ, who intercedes on our behalf. Here are a few Scriptures about Christ our Mediator.

Eph.2: ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Hebrews 9:¹⁵ And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Hebrews 12:²⁴ to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.  CHRIST  IS OUR MEDIATOR ON THE VIRTUE OF HIS ATONEMENT!

1 Timothy 2:5

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

Hebrews 8:6

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

Hebrews 12:24

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁴ to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.  CHRIST IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN BRIDGE THE SIN GAP BETWEEN GOD AND MAN!

LITTLE THINGS

LITTLE THINGS.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

The past few blogs we have looked at Scriptures concerning the Good Shepherd and to day we are going to continue starting with John 10:²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. Jer. 31:¹⁰ “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:
‘He who scattered Israel will gather them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’

Jesus the Good Shepherd PROTECTS HIS FLOCK!   

Matt. 26³¹ Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

John 1o:¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Jesus  the Good Shepherd GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP!

Jesus give ETERNAL LIFE TO HIS SHEEP!   John 10:28—-

John 10:28

New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

The Good Shepherd

The last blog we looked some verses about Christ the Shepherd and today we are going to look at a few more starting with Micah 5:4  And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the  Lord,

In the majesty of the name of the Lord his God;

And they shall abide:

For now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

Hebrews 13:20 (KJV  )

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

CHRIST IS THE GREAT SHEPHERD!

As the great and good Shepherd, CHRIST KNOWS HIS SHEEP!    John 10:¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

As the good Shepherd, CHRIST CALLS HIS SHEEP!    John 10:³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

As the good Shepherd, CHRIST GATHERS HIS SHEEP!   Isaiah 40:11 (KJV )

11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd:

He shall gather the lambs with his arm,

And carry them in his bosom,

And shall gently lead those that are with young.

John 10:16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

As the good Shepherd, CHRIST FEEDS HIS SHEEP!   

Psalm 23:1-2

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Lord the Shepherd of His People

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

John 10:9

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

[  to be continued ]

CHRIST THE SHEPHERD

There have been many shepherds down through the ages who have faithfully tried to lead, but there is only one true shepherd to lead us on the correct spiritual path and that is CHRIST! Today I am starting a series of blogs concerning  CHRIST THE SHEPHERD.

* CHRIST  COMING TO LEAD US WAS FORETOLD!   Gen.49:²⁴ But his bow remained ^[a]firm,
And ^[b]his arms were agile,
From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

Isaiah 40:¹¹ He will feed His flock like a shepherd: He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom and will gently lead those that have their young.

EZEK. 34:

²³ And I will raise up over them one Shepherd and He shall feed them, even My Servant ^[a]David; He shall feed them and He shall be their Shepherd.

Footnotes:

1. Ezekiel 34:23 The name of David is here put simply, as well as in Ezek. 34:24; Ezek. 37:24, 25; Jer. 30:9; Hos. 3:5, instead of the more usual designations of the Messiah as the Son (Matt. 1:1), the Branch (Jer. 23:5), the Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16). But there can be no possible doubt as to the meaning…. David, as the head of the theocracy and the ancestor of our Lord according to the flesh, constantly appears in the Scriptures as a type of the Messiah, and there can be no reasonable doubt that the prophecy would have been so understood, even at the time it was uttered (Charles Ellicott, A Bible Commentary).

CHRIST IS THE CHIEF SHEPHERD!   [ Shepherd above all shepherds ]

1 Peter.5:  

⁴ And [then] when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will win the ^[a]conqueror’s crown of glory.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Peter 5:4 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies: When Paul uses the word translated “crown,” he typically has the conqueror’s crown in mind, using the imagery of the winner of an athletic contest (see I Cor. 9:25). Peter seems to have this same imagery in mind as a symbol of the heavenly reward.

CHRIST IS THE ONLY GOOD AND PURE SHEPHERD!   John 10:¹¹ I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me—

[ to be continued ]

 

Saintly Appearance

 

As we walk as a saint, we should seen as people being led by the SPIRIT OF GOD!

Romans 8:14 (KJV )

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

As Christians our character should have the ATTITUDE OF LOVE SHOWN!

Colossians 1:4 (KJV )

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

1 Thessalonians 4:9 (KJV )

9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

Saints should  be MEEK IN SPIRIT!

Isaiah 29:19 (KJV )

19  The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord,

And the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Matthew 5:5 (KJV )

5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

A Saint should be seen as OBEDIENT!

Romans 16:19 (KJV )

19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

1 Peter 1:14 (KJV )

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Saints should be seen as  SINCERE IN THEIR WALK!

2 Corinthians 1:12 (KJV )

12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

2 Corinthians 2:17 (KJV )

17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Saints should be seen STEADFAST IN THEIR WALK!

Acts 2:42 (KJV )

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Colossians 2:5 (KJV )

5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

This concludes our brief look at what a Saint should look like, hope you have been blessed my friends.