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Beyond the Nativity, A Four Week Devotional on the Incarnation: Week 2: The Purpose, Day 2: To Fulfill Prophecy

December 4, 2012
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GENTILE DA FABRIANO, Nativity, 1423

 adormago nativity

Luke 4:17-21

“17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it…

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Beyond the Nativity, A Four Week Devotional on the Incarnation: Week 2: The Purpose, Day 1: To Reveal the Father and To Do His Will

December 3, 2012
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| Categories: Jesus

GEERTGEN tot Sint Jans, Nativity, at Night, 1484-90

nativity at nightJohn 14:8-11

“8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I…

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Beyond the Nativity, A Four Week Devotional on the Incarnation: Week 1: The Description, Day 5: Dying in the Flesh

November 30, 2012
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FERRARI, Defendente, Nativity in Nocturnal Light, 1510

1 Peter 3:18

“18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

 Peter said these words.  And He knew all too well how a zealous lover of Christ can feel when they sin.  Temptations to just stay away for a while may come and overwhelming feelings of shame can put a damper on passion for our Savior.

But Peter learned and…

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Beyond the Nativity, A Four Week Devotional on the Incarnation: Week 1: The Description, Day 4: His Body

November 29, 2012
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BALDUNG GRIEN, Hans, Nativity, 1520

1 John 1:1-3

 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you…

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Beyond the Nativity, A Four Week Devotional on the Incarnation: Week 1: The Description, Day 3: In Our Likeness

November 28, 2012
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BOTTICELLI, Sandro, The Mystical Nativity, c. 1500

Hebrews 2:14-18

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every…

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Beyond the Nativity, A Four Week Devotional on the Incarnation: Week 1: The Description, Day 2: Born of a Woman

November 27, 2012
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 Correggio, Nativity (Holy Night), 1528-30

Galations 4:4-5

“4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Aren’t you glad that “the fullness of time” had come over 2,000 years ago and that you are on this side of that mark in time?

Our God allowed being born into our world like us in order to be born under the law, live…

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Beyond the Nativity, A Four Week Devotional, Week 1: The Description, Day 1: Becoming Flesh

November 26, 2012
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ALTDORFER, Albrecht,Nativity, c. 1513

 John 1:14

“14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

1 Timothy 3:16

“16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.”

This is the mystery of Godliness: His mission to be flesh starting off as a baby.  God coming as a baby in order…

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It Starts Monday: Beyond the Nativity…A Four Week Deovtional on the Incarnation

November 25, 2012
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 I’d love to get past the bows and baking and get to the real heart of it this time.  I want that same feeling I had as a kid about the magic of Christmas to be translated into my adult life over the awe of Christ coming in the flesh.  Some years it happens…some it doesn’t.

I just spent yesterday morning searching the web for new ideas for traditions to keep Christ in Christmas.  I’m overwhelmed.  I want to do them all!  How can I possibly add one more thing…

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Be Strong, Take Heart, Wait

November 7, 2012
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| Categories: Rest

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14).

It is a paradox isn’t it?

Christianity and so many truths within it. 

A king comes to serve.

You are wise if you follow this paradoxical king…even if others aren’t doing the same. 

He sometimes calls you to unique and strange paths…that seem more like a maze than life.

You lose your life and you find it.  Just like Him…laying down His life for…life.

You’re strong when you wait and take heart.

How self-control and yielding to Him…truly not…

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Prayer For The Week…Grace For Your Heart

November 6, 2012
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| Categories: Grace

“I’ve sinned too much today.” 

“I don’t know if God will answer my prayer since I’ve been struggling with a sin this week.”

“I wish I could get this Christian walk thing down…then I’d have a good relationship with God.”

Are you ever haunted by these thoughts?  I write them because they have haunted me.  More so in the past…but they are thoughts that still come to mind. 

When these thoughts come…I preach the gospel to myself.

I’m praying about this today…for the week ahead and always…

that He would illuminate our hearts and minds with the truth that:

We can’t get any more accepted…

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