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From Jesus Bible reading plan

 

KING AND PRIEST
In mercy, the Lord continued to reveal his purposes and plans. The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, instructing him to get silver and gold from a few of the exiles for the purpose of making a crown.

Typically, a crown was reserved for a king. However, the Lord told Zechariah in this text to place it upon the high priest’s head. Joshua took on some kingly symbolism in this vision, showing his significant role in the rebuilding of the temple (v. 12). As the passage continues, it details a certain harmony between these two offices (v. 13). The people needed governance to build the temple; yet the temple needed priests to offer sacrifices.

The degree of unity between these offices depicted in Zechariah foreshadowed a perfect harmony to come. While Zerubbabel and Joshua served individually, Jesus — the Branch of Jesse (Isa 11:1) — would come to unite the offices; he would rule as King and intercede as Priest. He now sits at the right hand of God and governs perfectly while also interceding for the imperfect.

God instructed the people to store this crown as a reminder that God acted on their behalf (v. 14). The people of God must not forget his gracious actions toward them.

Jesus, my King and Priest, thank you for acting on my behalf. Don’t ever let me forget all that you’ve done for me. Amen.

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Beholding the Love of God

The Bible In Your Hand

Behold, manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. I John 3:1

John was called the beloved disciple. He was the one who leaned on Jesus’ breast. He had heard the heartthrobs of his Lord. If anyone could have described the love of God surely John the best qualified. And yet he did not attempt it. Instead, he pleads with us to behold this love for ourselves. “As John beholds the height, the depth, and the breadth of the Father’s love toward our perishing race, he is filled with admiration and reverence. He cannot find suitable language to express this love, but he calls upon the world to behold it: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should…

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What ‘Love Your Enemies’ Means in an Era of ISIS

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST IS A GIFT TO MANKIND

“God showed how much He loved us by sending His One and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.” 1 John 4:9(NTL)

Christ needed to be born to restore man’s glory and the relationship we had with God before the Adamic fall. His birth was an arrangement that brought God to live with us in human flesh(Matt 1:23)
Jesus came to set us free by the POWER off HIS SALVATION, that we may be delivered from the oppressiveness of the devil. That we being redeemed can worship God without fear “in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” Luke 1:75

The conception of Jesus was a miracle and His birth a fulfilment of prophecy. God had sent angle Gabriel to the virgin Mary to tell her of His intentions to use her as a carrier of the miraculous birth. Though she was engaged to be married, they had not come to live together as man and wife(Luke 1:34). “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you: therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
All these were foretold by the prophets of old at different times in Biblical history that Christ will be born as the Messiah. He will be called Mighty God. Born as a Child and anointed to be a Son. He is to remove the gloom from the distressed and give to them a pleasant life.(Isaiah 9:1–7)
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit and anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to the captives and ‘to give them beauty for ashes‘ Isaiah 61:1–3

Christ Jesus is Greater than the greatest. Adonai the Lord our Maker. He shoulders the righteous kingdom “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6

Just as the virgin Mary accepted God’s word by angel Gabriel when she answered and said to him “Let it be to me according to your word“, when we accept the Gospel of Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior, we become conceived and be born again as children of the most High God

We should remember that Christ is the reason for the season. Though a King and maker of the universe yet Christ was born in a manger. He is meek, gentle and lowly.
The celebration of His birth should not be a time to indulge in gluttonous living and drunkenness. We should not celebrate as non Christians. It should be a season for sober reflection on the saving grace and mercy of God. It is not a time to be covetous like the rich man of Luke 12:15–21
It is a good time to reach out to the homeless and offer help to the less fortunate among us. We are instructed not to fix our hope on uncertain riches but in the living God ” to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” 1 Timothy 6:17,18. By this we will be able to store up future treasure for ourselves. That is the very best way to living indeed and to lay hold on eternal life.
Amen.

Merry Christmas
– Ike