- araratchurch
- Dec 25, 2023
- 2 min read
“They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.”
Luke 2:16-20 NLT
Here we are on Christmas Day!
I pray that our time together preparing for the celebration of the Lord’s birth and for His soon return has been a blessing to you.
Remember, even if you are reading this on a day that is not Christmas Day by the calendar, because of what Jesus did, it should be Christmas every day in our hearts.
On occasion I have sung the old song, “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” and that is just what the shepherds did after seeing that divine baby lying in a manger all those years ago. They could not contain their excitement; nor could they contain the story of what the angels had told them about that precious Child.
I pray we never lose the zeal for telling others about that Holy Child Who has become our Savior and Lord. And soon and very soon He is coming to be our forever King!
A while back the Lord put it in our hearts to reference Ararat Church as “The Mountain.” The Lord told us that Ararat Church is indeed an outpost, a representation of the Mountain of the Lord in these Last Days before the coming of Jesus Christ. Just as Moses built a representative of what he saw on Mount Sinai when the Lord brought Heaven down with Him, just so, the Lord Himself has built a representative of His Holy Mountain here at Ararat Church. As such, we will spend every day, in every way, telling the world that not only has Jesus Christ come, but soon and very soon He is returning!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Dec 23, 2023
- 3 min read
“When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.””
Luke 2:15 NLT
Sometimes when it seems we can’t get direction from the Lord, or a word from the Lord, we will find that the reason is that we have not acted on the last word we heard from Him. Of course, this also includes the general instruction given throughout the word of God. If we have not acted on what God has said in His word, how can we expect any “special” word from Him addressing our personal concerns?
I remember that at the end of one of my father’s prayers a couple of years before he passed away, he asked the people, “Do you believe the Lord will do this?” And of course, everyone said, “Yes!” Then he responded, “Act on it! Act on it! Act on it!” You see, there’s the key: If we believe what God has said, our actions, thoughts, etc., should reflect our belief. “Belief” without corresponding action is just an idea.
Indeed, one of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Savior, came at a time when the Lord had told Ahaz (king of Judah) that he did not need to fear the king of Assyria and the king of Israel who were colluding to come against him. It seems that when the Lord asked him to name any sign to be given in order to confirm that it would be well with him, he refused to ask for a sign from the Lord.
”But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.” Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).“
Isaiah 7:12-14 NLT
Most likely, Ahaz was too afraid to believe that the Lord would keep Judah from being destroyed; perhaps he didn’t want a sign that would require an action on his part.
In our opening scripture today we see that the shepherds, having been told about the Good News, immediately went to find the announced Savior. They acted on what they had heard!
If we believe that the Lord came down that day in Bethlehem all those years ago, if we believe that He lived a spotless life, died a sinners death and was resurrected to return to Heaven where He sits at the right of the Father, then our life should reflect our belief. We should look to Him as Savior and serve Him as Lord.
Additionally, we are told that our Lord will return again and take us to be with Him. Certainly, our lives ought illustrate that glorious expectation.
For today meditate on the ways in which your life might contradict what you say you believe concerning the word of God. Then, rather than becoming condemned or guilty, repent and ask the Lord to help you align your life with what He has said, reflecting what you profess. As well, ask the Holy Spirit to help you live a life that illustrates the expectation of His soon return.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Dec 23, 2023
- 2 min read
“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.””
Luke 2:13-14 NLT
I think most people—even most Christians—are woefully ignorant of the office and operation of angels. For example, some suppose that when people die, they become angels. That is not true. When people die, if they are Christians, they are with the Lord as a spirit and at some point will be given a glorified body in the resurrection of the dead. Angels, aren’t transformed people. Angels aren’t deceased people who have “earned their wings.” Rather, angels are created beings in their own right.
“Bless the Lord, you His angels, You mighty ones who do His commandments, Obeying the voice of His word! Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You who serve Him and do His will.”
Psalms 103:20-21 AMP
Indeed, angels are the servants of God who shepherd His word. God speaks; they obey. As well, their duties include the protection and strengthening of those who are His. They are ministering spirits!
“Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent out [by God] to serve (accompany, protect) those who will inherit salvation? [Of course they are!]”
Hebrews 1:14 AMP
In our opening scripture we see that, having given the Good News to the shepherds, the angel is joined by a heavenly host, a multitude of angels praising God.
Remember, any time we are giving the Good News concerning Jesus Christ, any time we are speaking His word, anytime we are lifting up praise and worship toward God, even if we seem to be alone, we can be sure that we have “friends” joining us. In fact, the heavenly host accompany us in our praise, accompany us in our evangelism (and other missions from God), and will eventually accompany us in our future duties in the eternal Kingdom of God.
For today meditate on the fact that angels are among us, waiting to hear God‘s word in order to perform it.
Make no mistake, when you speak the word of God from your mouth, while truly believing it in your heart, you will activate the angels to work on your behalf.
Additionally, be quick to share the Good News of Jesus Christ; be sure, that’s the quickest way you can gather a crowd from heaven.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!