DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A SIMPLE MESSAGE

 A SIMPLE MESSAGE
Matthew 3:1-3
 
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight." ' "
 
J.B. had a simple message: "Repent and get ready because the Lord is coming." Even today, it is a voice in the wilderness that cries out that simple message, "Repent because Jesus is coming again."
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Repentance is the simple message that prepares the way for the Lord.
 
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Have a simple day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JESUS OF NAZARETH

JESUS, THE NAZARENE
Matthew 2:22-23
 
"But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, 'He shall be called a Nazarene.' "
 
Jesus did not start the Nazarene Church, but He was a Nazarene. Jesus was not raised in the capital city, Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish, as one might think. Instead, He was raise Nazareth, a town that it is sometimes supposed had a poor reputation. The saying was, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). In spite of that, Jesus was often called "Jesus of Nazareth." Even as He hung on the cross, there was a placard above His head that read, "Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews" (John 19:19). Our lives are not determined by where we were raised, but who we become as a person. Even people raised in Podunkville can be successful and fulfill God's purpose.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The value and productivity of a person's life is not measured by where he was born and raised, but by what he becomes.
 
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Have a "becoming" day. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD LEADS

GOD LEADS
Matthew 2:19-21
 
"Now when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 'Arise, take the young child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child's life are dead.' Then he arose, took the young child and His mother, and came to the land of Israel."
 
God spoke to Joseph through dreams to lead his family (see also vss. 13 and 22). Even though God has not given me supernatural direction as He did Joseph, I still believe by faith that He has led me throughout my life because the Bible says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD" (Psalm 37:25), and "A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). My heart can rest in the fact that the Good Shepherd leads His sheep (Psalm 23:2).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God leads His dear children along in their walk through life.
 
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Have a directed life today. Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SATAN'S IGNORANCE

 SATAN'S IGNORANCE
Matthew 2:16
 
"Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men."
 
Sometimes we have the false notion that Satan is omniscient – that he knows everything. But in truth, his knowledge is limited. If Satan was omniscient, he would have known exactly Who the Messiah was and that He was in Egypt. In his attempt to destroy the Messiah through Herod, all Satan knew was what the Scriptures had revealed to Herod and the testimony of the Magi. So he had to destroy all the children in the area of Bethlehem who fit into a two-year time span. Satan is ignorant but he is no dummy. He knows that he has only a limited time (Revelation 12:12), so he has tried through the millenia to delay his defeat by trying to destroy Christ and the Church, from the slaying of Abel to the attempted destruction of the Jewish race in Ruth's day, to the killing of Jesus, to the martyrdom of Christians through the centuries. But Satan will not succeed because Jesus said that He would build His Church and the gates of Hades would not prevail (Matthew 16:18). Satan is neither omniscient nor omnipotent, and he will be vanquished by the Lord Jesus. God will win.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Satan does not know everything, but he does know that his time of rebellion is limited, and he is trying to delay his defeat.
 
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Have a victorious day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GO AND STAY

 GO AND STAY
Matthew 2:13b-15
 
The angel said to Joseph, " 'Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.' When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son.' "
 
God led Joseph and Mary to move to Egypt for the safety and protection of the Baby Jesus. When God says "go" or "stay," it is wise to listen and obey because it may be for my protection from harm. I remember being on my way to a meeting about 45 minutes away from home. In my spirit, I felt very strongly that I should not go, so I turned around and went home. I didn't know why, but I suspect it was to keep me from having an accident on the highway. God does lead His people if they are sensitive to His promptings in their spirits.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: It is wise to obey the prompting in our spirits because it may be God's leading for our protection.
 
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Have a listening day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DREAMS

 DREAMS
Matthew 2:12-13a
 
"Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now when they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream ....."
 
God chose to communicate with Joseph and the Magi via dreams (see also Matthew 1:20). Even though the Bible says that "old men shall dream dreams" (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17), I have never attached much significance to my own dreams, nor tried to interpret them because I have so many stupid dreams. However, last Summer I had a dream that I think was from the Lord. In my dream, I was in a house at the coast. I could see the ocean through the windows. As the dream progressed, a storm engulfed the sea, and I could see the frothy, storm-tossed waves as they became more and more turbulent, until it seemed that they were higher than the house. And even though I could sense the hurricane-force winds that blew outside, inside the house it was calm, peaceful, and quiet, and I was not afraid of the storm. I believe this dream was from God, encouraging my heart and showing me that as long as I was in the house, I was safe and secure. As I look at the world around me getting more and more turbulent, my spirit becomes troubled, but I can rest my soul in Jesus. As the old gospel songs says, "I've anchored in Jesus, the storms of life I'll brave .... I'll fear no wind nor wave." He is my peace.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God can speak to us through dreams.
 
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Have a dreamy day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE GIFTS OF WORSHIP

 THE GIFTS OF WORSHIP
Matthew 2:11
 
"When they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasure, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh."
 
Joseph and his young family had moved from the barn into a house by the time the magi came. When they finally found Jesus, they worshiped Him and gave out of their treasures costly gifts as an expression of their worship. Worship is an action noun and is proven by what I give. Worship is more than just attending a Worship Service. If I only "worship" on Sunday morning and give Him nothing else, it is not true worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). Worship is more than just giving words, money, or time – which the wise men did. I am called to present the treasure of my body – the totality of who I am – as a living sacrifice. That may be a costly gift, but it is my reasonable service (Romans 12:1). "Lord, I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I live for You alone."
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Worship is measured by what is given.
 
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Have a worshiping day. Love you.