Series: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Message: Glory by Humility
12/27/09
John 17:1-5 (King James Version),read
Glorify: doxazō
1) to think, suppose, be of opinion
2) to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate
3) to honour, do honour to, hold in honour
4) to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendour
a) to impart glory to something, render it excellent
b) to make renowned, render illustrious
1) to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged
Proverbs 15:33
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Before Jesus could come into His full glory with the Father, He had to humble himself
1. Cast Your Cares on God
1 Peter 5:5-11 (King James Version)
5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10But 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.
11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever
Ex: went to bay city, but then heard the salary, cast our care on Him
2. Humble Yourself
James 4:6-10 (King James Version)
6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Ex: Bay City, got fired, went thru bitterness to forgiveness, and restoration to re-hire process, double salary, responsibility, and marriage.
3. Servanthood
Whenever I heard this term in the past I shut off…
Ex: guy came to HC while ago wanting to speak, but not serve…
Servanthood means laying down your own ways for God’s ways, even if you think your way is better
Jesus took the form of a servant
Matthew 20:28 (King James Version)
28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Ex: when I was in Bay City I laid down my own ideas about ministry and served another man and his ministry as I learned.
Philippians 2:5-11 (King James Version)
5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Cross draws lines between the humble and the proud
2 thieves
pride= I deserve,compares to others and says I deserve all your blessings but none of your challenges
• get me down from here with yourself if you really are the Son of God
Humility= I am on this cross because I deserve to die, you have done nothing wrong, it’s my fault-
• I take responsibility
Jesus remembers the broken
Jesus re-assembles the humble
Humility: tapeinophrosynē
1) the having a humble opinion of one's self
2) a deep sense of one's (moral) littleness
3) modesty, humility, lowliness of mind
John 17:22-26 KJV
22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Jesus conditionally laid down His own life for us.
He made a choice
Submitted to that choice as a good decision
Committed Himself to the process, didn’t waiver, but received the promise of God by humbling Himself to get to the glory.
The answers to many of your issues are embedded in a process of humility on the way to validation of the Glory of God.
John 12:28 (King James Version)
28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
God validated Jesus humility with the resurrection.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
The Glorious Light
Series: I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Message: The Glorious Light
12-20-09
It was God’s design to put Christ in Adam and Adam fell by transgression, but because Jesus was a lamb slain from the foundation of the world, it wasn’t all lost..
God had a plan, a better plan that His son would come, buy back humanity through forgiveness, grace and truth, by the Blood of Christ
It was all because God shined His light, that pure heavenly divine light out of Him
Not a light from the sun, or any light source that our planet could convey, produce, or understand.
Luke 1:79 KJV
79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Acts 26:18 (King James Version) 18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Luke 2:7-9,14,32 KJV
John 8:12
I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life
1 Thessalonians 5:5
5Ye are all the children of light
Matthew 5:14 (King James Version)
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
1 Peter 2:9 called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
2 Corinthians 4:4,6,7 (King James Version)
4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Gen 1:1-3 KJV
• Light has never stopped expanding by 186,000 miles per second
• Light comes to expand
• Light comes to bring reconciliation
• Light has full understanding
Without form and void
Form: tohuw Hebrew
- 1) formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
a) formlessness (of primeval earth)
1) nothingness, empty space
b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig)
c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)
d) place of chaos e) vanity
Void: bohuw Hebrew
- 2) emptiness, void, waste
1:3 Light: 'owr- Jehovah as Israel's light
1:17 Light: ma’owr- light from sun moon stars…Luminary
No Sun In The Future
We must also note that the Bible says there will be light without the sun in the future New Jerusalem.
Joel 3:15-16
15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
16The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Rev 21:10-11, 23
10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal
23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 22:5
And there shall be no night there: They shall need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign for ever and ever
Isa 60:19
The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness the moon shall give light to you; but the Lord will be your everlasting light
Since there will be no need for the sun as a light source in the future, it is certainly possible that there was no need for the sun as a light source in the beginning.
Luke 2:32 light: phos- 1) light
2) a heavenly light such as surrounds angels when they appear on earth
a) God is light because light has the extremely delicate, subtle, pure, brilliant quality
of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it
d) reason, mind
1) the power of understanding
Acts 9:3 Light from Heaven, (not from the sun)
Isaiah 30:26 (King James Version)
26Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days,
Isa 58:8,10 KJV
8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
Mat 9:27-30 KJV
27And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.
28And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30And their eyes were opened
1 John 5:11-12 (King James Version)
11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
John 1:4
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:9 (King James Version)
9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John wasn’t that light, the true light, because he wasn’t there at creation, JESUS was. (Gen 1:26 let us make man in our likeness)
Jesus is the Word, Light,
Psalm 119:105 (King James Version)
105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:130 (King James Version)
130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple
John 14:6 (King James Version)
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 13:47 (King James Version)
47For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Romans 13:12 (King James Version)
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light
1 John 1:5 (King James Version)
5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:7 (King James Version)
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
James 1:17 (King James Version)
17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning*
God is coming to change the face of things by the Spirit of God
Even though things are without form and void, God is sending a light to your situation
He is going to turn your situation from darkness to light
Romans 8:28 (King James Version)
28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose
Your issues are going to go from bad situation to God seeing it and calling it good
Romans 4:17 (King James Version)
17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
When the light comes healing comes
When the light comes forgiveness manifests
When the light comes the answer comes with Peace.
Inside of that Holy Light is God’s creative power, ask Him during this season specifically, for that light to beam from you.
Message: The Glorious Light
12-20-09
It was God’s design to put Christ in Adam and Adam fell by transgression, but because Jesus was a lamb slain from the foundation of the world, it wasn’t all lost..
God had a plan, a better plan that His son would come, buy back humanity through forgiveness, grace and truth, by the Blood of Christ
It was all because God shined His light, that pure heavenly divine light out of Him
Not a light from the sun, or any light source that our planet could convey, produce, or understand.
Luke 1:79 KJV
79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Acts 26:18 (King James Version) 18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Luke 2:7-9,14,32 KJV
John 8:12
I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life
1 Thessalonians 5:5
5Ye are all the children of light
Matthew 5:14 (King James Version)
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
1 Peter 2:9 called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
2 Corinthians 4:4,6,7 (King James Version)
4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Gen 1:1-3 KJV
• Light has never stopped expanding by 186,000 miles per second
• Light comes to expand
• Light comes to bring reconciliation
• Light has full understanding
Without form and void
Form: tohuw Hebrew
- 1) formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
a) formlessness (of primeval earth)
1) nothingness, empty space
b) that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig)
c) wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places)
d) place of chaos e) vanity
Void: bohuw Hebrew
- 2) emptiness, void, waste
1:3 Light: 'owr- Jehovah as Israel's light
1:17 Light: ma’owr- light from sun moon stars…Luminary
No Sun In The Future
We must also note that the Bible says there will be light without the sun in the future New Jerusalem.
Joel 3:15-16
15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
16The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Rev 21:10-11, 23
10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal
23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 22:5
And there shall be no night there: They shall need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign for ever and ever
Isa 60:19
The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness the moon shall give light to you; but the Lord will be your everlasting light
Since there will be no need for the sun as a light source in the future, it is certainly possible that there was no need for the sun as a light source in the beginning.
Luke 2:32 light: phos- 1) light
2) a heavenly light such as surrounds angels when they appear on earth
a) God is light because light has the extremely delicate, subtle, pure, brilliant quality
of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it
d) reason, mind
1) the power of understanding
Acts 9:3 Light from Heaven, (not from the sun)
Isaiah 30:26 (King James Version)
26Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days,
Isa 58:8,10 KJV
8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
Mat 9:27-30 KJV
27And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.
28And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30And their eyes were opened
1 John 5:11-12 (King James Version)
11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
John 1:4
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:9 (King James Version)
9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John wasn’t that light, the true light, because he wasn’t there at creation, JESUS was. (Gen 1:26 let us make man in our likeness)
Jesus is the Word, Light,
Psalm 119:105 (King James Version)
105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:130 (King James Version)
130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple
John 14:6 (King James Version)
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 13:47 (King James Version)
47For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Romans 13:12 (King James Version)
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light
1 John 1:5 (King James Version)
5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:7 (King James Version)
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
James 1:17 (King James Version)
17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning*
God is coming to change the face of things by the Spirit of God
Even though things are without form and void, God is sending a light to your situation
He is going to turn your situation from darkness to light
Romans 8:28 (King James Version)
28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose
Your issues are going to go from bad situation to God seeing it and calling it good
Romans 4:17 (King James Version)
17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
When the light comes healing comes
When the light comes forgiveness manifests
When the light comes the answer comes with Peace.
Inside of that Holy Light is God’s creative power, ask Him during this season specifically, for that light to beam from you.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
This Past Sunday
This past weekend service was incredible as the Holy Spirit moved in on Marque during worship. As I found myself kneeling during worship others were feeling the same sense of the presence of God.
I want to encourage you to continue to come to these services as we prepare for a wave of supernatural healing and renewal.
Revival and renewal starts in the heart of one individual. But it is contagious. There is no limit to the power of the living Christ within you. Col 1:27- It's Christ in you the Hope of Glory.
Don't let the cares of this world barricade you from fulfilling the purpose of God. Repent of any sins and allow times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19).
God Bless.
Dan Mastrogiacomo
www.horizonschurch.tv
I want to encourage you to continue to come to these services as we prepare for a wave of supernatural healing and renewal.
Revival and renewal starts in the heart of one individual. But it is contagious. There is no limit to the power of the living Christ within you. Col 1:27- It's Christ in you the Hope of Glory.
Don't let the cares of this world barricade you from fulfilling the purpose of God. Repent of any sins and allow times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19).
God Bless.
Dan Mastrogiacomo
www.horizonschurch.tv
Saturday, December 12, 2009
I'll Be Home for Christmas
check out the beginning message of our new 3 week series before anyone hears it tomorrow!
Series: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Message: Homecoming
12/13/09
Jesus is coming your way this Christmas
He is leading the way of truth, through challenge, whether there is room in the inn or not.
Things don’t remain the same when He comes, He loves us enough not to leave us the same but to challenge us to grow
Luke 1:26-38 (King James Version)
Imagine the rumblings of creation…
Sun moon stars…Earth, Animals, then man.
Gen 1:27 God created man In His own image-copy
Copy is as much like the original as possible
We were made in God’s image for the purpose of relationship with Him
We were made to be like God
What do we know about God?
Kind Loving Patient Honest Fair, those attributes are found in Gal 5, called the fruit of the Spirit, there is no limit to how good you can be because there are no limits with God
Our challenge is to allow Jesus to live out of us
2 Corinthians 3:18 (New Living Translation)
18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Transformation is a natural by-product of a copied life
Ex: I find our Horizons Team being a lot like God when we go to Trinity together to help serve and be kind to others that are different than us
Relationship with the Spirit of God that takes over and changes us into His image to be more like Him
Before Creation was the desire for God’s plan of redemption made
Rev 13:8 Lamb slain before the foundation of the world
Through creation was relationship established and lost through sin
Genesis 3:8 (King James Version)
8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
At Creation the cross is revealed
Genesis 3:15 (King James Version)
15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
But for the next 4000 years the real relationship that God initially wanted was cut off because of the disobedience of one.
But because of the obedience of one many have been made alive
Romans 5:19 (King James Version)
19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous
Adam and Eve were constructed with a will, the ability to choose life or death, a copy of God Himself
They made some bad choices, they sinned and God punished them, but still very much loved them
Even in sin can a lesson be learned through punishment
We remember, hopefully the lessons we learn through difficulty, punishment, trouble and trial because of pain, it hurts, and you don’t want to repeat that if necessary.
We must learn to admit sin quickly to Jesus can wash that sin, don’t hang on to it, let it go
Isaiah 1:18-19 (King James Version)
18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
You need some good old fashioned repentance…
So what does this have to do with Christmas?
It was God’s design to put Christ in Adam, Christ in His people
1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Jesus was looking to celebrate with His creation, people and buy back this broken relationship that sin had so wrongfully stolen
John 1:10-11 (King James Version)
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Even though Christ came as a baby, He was still entering His creation in their form, their path, their style…
It was all love, His homecoming was being prepared…
Isaiah 35:8 (New Living Translation)
8 And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
fools will never walk there
That highway of holiness is His people, through His people for His people
But Jesus homecoming, some didn’t make room for Him…
Luke 2:7 (King James Version)
7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Who are you making room for this Christmas?
What are you making room for this Christmas?
Manger was really a feeding trough, crib, or a stall and the strong son of God was going to lay in it as Angels and others came to worship Him in it.
What lies in the manger of your heart?
Unforgiveness? Self? Worry? Broken relationships? Pride?
Allow repentance to come to your heart this Christmas and let Jesus begin to feed you from His house
Some eargerly await His return
Luke 2:25-32 KJV
Jesus is looking for hearts to come home to
Those that have prepared themselves
God extends the lives of those that are waiting for His return
John 4:23-24 KJV
Our Heavenly Father is seeking those to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Rejoice over the homecoming of Jesus this Christmas as He cleans out your basket, (manger), crib, stall.
Luke 2:14 (King James Version)
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
God’s will is still good toward man.
Series: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Message: Homecoming
12/13/09
Jesus is coming your way this Christmas
He is leading the way of truth, through challenge, whether there is room in the inn or not.
Things don’t remain the same when He comes, He loves us enough not to leave us the same but to challenge us to grow
Luke 1:26-38 (King James Version)
Imagine the rumblings of creation…
Sun moon stars…Earth, Animals, then man.
Gen 1:27 God created man In His own image-copy
Copy is as much like the original as possible
We were made in God’s image for the purpose of relationship with Him
We were made to be like God
What do we know about God?
Kind Loving Patient Honest Fair, those attributes are found in Gal 5, called the fruit of the Spirit, there is no limit to how good you can be because there are no limits with God
Our challenge is to allow Jesus to live out of us
2 Corinthians 3:18 (New Living Translation)
18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Transformation is a natural by-product of a copied life
Ex: I find our Horizons Team being a lot like God when we go to Trinity together to help serve and be kind to others that are different than us
Relationship with the Spirit of God that takes over and changes us into His image to be more like Him
Before Creation was the desire for God’s plan of redemption made
Rev 13:8 Lamb slain before the foundation of the world
Through creation was relationship established and lost through sin
Genesis 3:8 (King James Version)
8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
At Creation the cross is revealed
Genesis 3:15 (King James Version)
15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
But for the next 4000 years the real relationship that God initially wanted was cut off because of the disobedience of one.
But because of the obedience of one many have been made alive
Romans 5:19 (King James Version)
19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous
Adam and Eve were constructed with a will, the ability to choose life or death, a copy of God Himself
They made some bad choices, they sinned and God punished them, but still very much loved them
Even in sin can a lesson be learned through punishment
We remember, hopefully the lessons we learn through difficulty, punishment, trouble and trial because of pain, it hurts, and you don’t want to repeat that if necessary.
We must learn to admit sin quickly to Jesus can wash that sin, don’t hang on to it, let it go
Isaiah 1:18-19 (King James Version)
18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
You need some good old fashioned repentance…
So what does this have to do with Christmas?
It was God’s design to put Christ in Adam, Christ in His people
1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Jesus was looking to celebrate with His creation, people and buy back this broken relationship that sin had so wrongfully stolen
John 1:10-11 (King James Version)
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Even though Christ came as a baby, He was still entering His creation in their form, their path, their style…
It was all love, His homecoming was being prepared…
Isaiah 35:8 (New Living Translation)
8 And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
fools will never walk there
That highway of holiness is His people, through His people for His people
But Jesus homecoming, some didn’t make room for Him…
Luke 2:7 (King James Version)
7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Who are you making room for this Christmas?
What are you making room for this Christmas?
Manger was really a feeding trough, crib, or a stall and the strong son of God was going to lay in it as Angels and others came to worship Him in it.
What lies in the manger of your heart?
Unforgiveness? Self? Worry? Broken relationships? Pride?
Allow repentance to come to your heart this Christmas and let Jesus begin to feed you from His house
Some eargerly await His return
Luke 2:25-32 KJV
Jesus is looking for hearts to come home to
Those that have prepared themselves
God extends the lives of those that are waiting for His return
John 4:23-24 KJV
Our Heavenly Father is seeking those to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Rejoice over the homecoming of Jesus this Christmas as He cleans out your basket, (manger), crib, stall.
Luke 2:14 (King James Version)
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
God’s will is still good toward man.
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