Plans 2 Prosper U Blog

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 
       “Glory to God in the highest,
                  and on earth PEACE to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13,14, NIV)

 Isn’t it interesting that when the Angels appeared in the skies to the shepherds that this is the verse that they sung: “..Peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  That is what God offers us through His Son, Jesus Christ.  He offers us PEACE.  Do you have Peace? Do you offer others PEACE- the PEACE of Christ?  That is our calling; to know PEACE and to offer it to others.  And of course the only way to know PEACE is to know Christ. 

 Merry Christmas everyone!  May you experience the PEACE of Christ and share it with those around you.

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7, NIV)

Imagine that. There was no room for God at the inn. It’s almost hard to believe. Of course it’s not like the inn keeper knew that Jesus was God but still it is strange. You’d think that they’d make room for a pregnant woman somewhere- it’s not like Mary and Joseph were going to be picky about it. They did afterall give birth in a barn.

It becomes really easy to make judgements about this situation and wonder how there could be no room for Jesus. Could it be that this was in God’s plan as a metaphor of what was yet to come. Every year billions of dollars are spent in November and December in the name of Christmas. People drive like maniacs. Stores are open till all hours of the night. People end up working like dogs. All of this happens because of Christmas. And then we fill up our lawns and yards and roofs with lights and Santas and snowmen. And then the irony hits us. There is once again no room for Jesus on the lawn. Or in the shopping. Or in our attitude.

During this next week  as you go through your holiday routine, I ask you to make room for Jesus.

This is the how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child  through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  (Matthew 1: 18-19, NIV)

Isn’t it interesting that the Christmas story actually begins with adversity.  What was supposed to be a happy time for this couple, Mary and Joseph, as they were to plan their marriage, actually involved a major obstacle.  That obstacle was Jesus.  Isn’t it funny how Jesus can take our plans and our world and turn it  upside down.  Just when you think that you have it figured out, Jesus comes into the picture and changes everything. 

Will you let Jesus into your life this Christmas season?  How will you allow Him to change your plans and your world?  Think about it…

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV)

The book of Isaiah is jam-packed with prophecies about the coming of Jesus.  I can only wonder what the people of that time must have thought when they would hear them.  Were they hopeful or skeptical?  I know at the time when Jesus was actually born many people had internalized and taken them to heart.  One only need look in the first chapters of Matthew and Luke to see how excited people were at the prospect of Jesus being the fulfillment of the prophecies that they had memorized.  See how Elizabeth reacted to Mary’s visit.  Or notice the shepherds actions once they visited the newborn.  And isn’t it amazing that grown men known as Wise, Kings, and Magi would travel from far away just to worship this baby.  All of them obviously believed in the words found in Isaiah.    All of these individuals were excited about a promise- a promise of a gift from their God.  What gift that you have been promised are you excited for this Christmas? 

 Prophecy

See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.  Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; (Malachi 3:1, NIV)

Fulfilled

And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the widom of the righteous- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.  (Luke 1:17, NIV)

I just love the prophecies referring to John the Baptist.  I believe them to be just another way that God was giving His people an irrefutable sign regarding Jesus His son.  You see, an unbeliever today could argue that the Gospel writers wrote things into the Gospels to make it appear that prophecies were being fulfilled.  For instance, the Virgin Birth cannot be proven and therefore we take it on faith.  But the prophecies regarding John the Baptist are a matter of the historical record.

We have manuscripts that are dated hundreds of years before Jesus was born such as the complete book of Isaiah (Dead Sea Scrolls) letting the people know that there will be  a messenger preparing the way for God.  We also know historically about 2 men named Jesus of Nazareth and John the Baptist.  John’s ministry began before Jesus’ and John actually Baptized Jesus.  Once Jesus’ ministry began John’s began to lessen until he was eventually beheaded by King Herod. 

All of this is a matter of historical record and it was foretold hundreds hundreds of years earlier.  So as you go through this season, think to all of the trouble that God went through to make sure that His people would know that Jesus was Lord.  Make sure that you are making Jesus the Lord of this season.

Prophecy: 

the Lord himself will give you a sign:  the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  (Isaiah 7:14, NIV)

Fulfillment: 

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:  His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit…………..She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 2:18,21, NIV)

“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus”…..”How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”       (Luke 1:31,34, NIV)

Here you have the first prophecy that I would like to introduce. It’s from Isaiah with the fulfillment found in Matthew and Luke.  Talk about a sign from God- the Virgin Birth.  If only we could get such an obvious one for ourselves…  By means of the Virgin Birth, God was telling us: let there be no mistake- this is His son.

I just love the name Immanuel, don’t you?  Immanuel, of course, means “God is with us.”  Isn’t it great to know that God is with us?  Isn’t it great that God sent His son to be with us?  Just the name Immanuel to the Jews waiting for their King would invoke feelings of hope.  Whenever you feel alone think of Immanuel, Jesus, God’s own son sent to be with us.

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered.  “May it be to me as you have said.”  (Luke 1: 38, NIV)

What great faith Mary had!  Think about it.  Here you are a young virgin girl in a tradition steeped in “The Law” and societal conventions and you have this visitor.  It is an angel and the news that he carries will change your life.  Do you believe him?  And even if you do, what will others think?  What will Joseph think?  Mary puts all of those concerns aside and chooses to trust God.  Mary knew that “if God is for us, then who could be against us.”  Mary knew that she was going to be used in a very special way.  She didn’t let herself get bogged down with the fact that she didn’t have all of the details.  Mary trusted that God would take care of things.

When God lets you in on His plans for your life, do you trust Him?  Or do worry about all of the details?  Be like Mary and learn to trust that God will be with you as His plans for your life come to fruition.

and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”  (Matthew 2:2, NIV)

These men who are called kings or wise men were traveling long and far to worship a baby.  Can you imagine traveling through the night to bring gifts to a baby?  I wish that we knew more about these men.  Did they ever see Jesus preach?  Did they know of his death and resurection?  We don’t know.  All that we do know is that they came to worship this infant.  Its interesting.  They weren’t looking for anything in return.  They had no prayer to him to get anything for themselves.  They were there to worship.

During this Christmas season worship Jesus for who he is not for what you can get. 

Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

(Luke 1:45, NIV)

How strongly do you believe that God’s Will for your life will be accomplished?  How much do you believe in the promise found in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord….?

Mary believed that God’s work would be in done in her life.  Mary knew what God had directly promised to her and trusted that those plans would come to fruition.  How often in our own lives do we know what God wants for us, yet we doubt that the plans will or can come true.  During this Christmas season let us be like Mary by trusting in the promises of God.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, adn Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among wiomen, and blessed is the child you bear!  But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”

(Luke 1:41-44, NIV)

When was the last time you were so excited about something that you lept for joy?  These verses tell us a lot about the people’s mindset back in the time before Jesus.  Notice Elizabeth’s reaction to the visit that she received from Mary and the unborn Jesus.  From deep within her she felt joy just by their presence.  Even John the Babtist, still in Elizabeth’s womb, lept for joy.  And Elizabeth felt honored to even be in the presence of Mary who was carrying the Messiah.  The Jews of this time so longed for their promised Savior that they couldn’t contain themselves. 

How excited are you for Christmas?  How much do you look forward to the comming of Jesus into your life?  Do you find hope in this season?

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:19, NIV)

I know that I included this verse with yesterday’s entry.  I just wanted to bring out another point about it.  Reflect on Joseph’s attitude about his news.  Consider that in the days of Mary and Joseph a betrothal (engagement) was much more binding than today and only to be broken by divorce.  Joseph’s first reaction toward’s Mary’s supposed infidelity was toward her and not himself.  She was the guilty one, yet he was concerned with her wellbeing.  This concept is completely foreign to us today and the Holy Spirit was doubtlessly involved in his heart.  God had a plan for Mary and Joseph and it was only fullfilled due to Joseph’s proper attitude. 

When was the last time a loved one had harmed or sinned against you?  How did you react?  What was your response?  Believe me I’m as guilty of lashing out as the next guy.  But I submit to you that Joseph’s attitude is the right one and ever so appropriate for this Christmas season.  Do you have the right attitude for God’s plans to be fulfilled in your life?

    Well, this Thanksgiving Holiday is over and Black Friday is also behind us.  As we move into this Advent and the preparation for Christmas let your thankful heart and attitude remain with you for the remainder of the year.  Draw upon the moments of this last weekend to get you through the hustle and bustle of this season. 

     For the next 4 weeks we will examine interesting points about the Christmas story and how it relates to us today.  We will also call to mind all of the prophecies of the Old Testament that foretold of the events leading up to Christmas.  So stay tuned and remember to tell your friends.