The Wise Shepherd-King of Bethlehem

The origin of Christmas celebration in the month of December is not actually Bible based.  The exhibition of the manger scene of Christ’s birth either by model figures or by live enactments during the Christmas season has been a tradition or practice for many centuries.  This manger scene is popularly called as nativity scene comprising of some animals like sheep, cows, and donkeys etc., a few angels, a few shepherds and three wise men worshipping the baby Jesus lying in a manger looked upon by Mary and Joseph.

Through this special blog post, I would like to invite you to join with me in reliving the happenings on the day Jesus Christ was born on this earth based on the Biblical record.  I personally benefited from this study when the Lord directed me to study on the wise men of the east and the shepherds of Bethlehem. 

In the Holy Bible, details on the event of Jesus birth have been recorded in only two Gospels of the New Testament.  The emphasis here is not on the prophecies about the birth of Christ or the Messiah, the savior of all mankind, but happenings around his birth as recorded in the Books of Matthew and Luke.   

 In the first book of the New Testament that is the Gospel according to Matthew, the first and second chapters elaborate the genealogy and the birth of Jesus Christ.  Though this book is the first in the New Testament, with regard to Jesus’ birth mentioned in Chapter 2 it does not describe the nativity scene that happens on the day Jesus was born into this world.  The visit of the wise men or the astrologers of the east did not happen on the night Jesus was born, but it happened several months later. Let me explain it to you through the Bible verses, but before that we will see the recording in the Gospel according to Luke in regards to the birth of Jesus.       

The birth of Jesus happened around the time the first census was taken as ordered by the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar. During this time, every individual needs to register themselves in their home town.  So, Joseph belonging to the house of King David travels from his town Nazareth to his home town Bethlehem along with his married, virgin YET pregnant wife, Mary. She is nearing her expected date of delivery.  It is a common belief that Joseph and Mary did not get a room for stay in the inn or lodge or hotels, so they accommodated themselves in a stable or livestock room.  According the archaeological studies, about 2000 years ago, Israeli homes had guest rooms indicated by the Greek word “Kataluma.”  This is the Greek term that is used in Luke 2:7 that is mistranslated into English as inn.  A typical house in Bethlehem has this design based on the studies.

By seeing this design and by the term Kataluma, we understand that Joseph and Mary spent their stay in Bethlehem in a home, most probably in a relative’s home.  In that home, due to rush of the non-residents to the home town, the guest room is fully occupied and there is no space for Baby Jesus to be laid.  Mary, the mother of Jesus wraps the baby with clothes and places the child in the manger or the trough carved out of a stone filled with straw as cushion, which is usually kept as a feeding slot for the animals.  (Please see the picture)

Now in that neighborhood, there are some shepherds in an open field watching over their flock. An angel stands by them and they are frightened by the glory and the brightness around them.  As you all aware, the angel gives them good news about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the savior of the mankind, in the town of David and gives them a sign that the baby will be wrapped in clothes and laid in a manger.  The angel did not directly tell the name of the place but gives the historic clue to the birthplace of Christ. Jewish shepherds are well-taught regarding their ancestors according to their customs and traditions.  They figure out that the town of David is Bethlehem and decide to go there. After searching in many houses and places in Bethlehem, they find the house in which a baby wrapped in clothes being placed in a cattle feeding trough or the manger.

The visit of the shepherds happened on the same night that Jesus was born.  The important point is, the shepherds were the only ones, outside the family of Joseph and Mary, chosen by God himself to be informed of the good news of His Son’s birth into this world.

Joseph and Mary stay in Bethlehem for more than 33 days and leave for Jerusalem for the purification ceremony of Mary and for baby dedication.  Then from Jerusalem they return to their home at Nazareth.  All these are recorded in Luke chapter 2.  Please go over the bible passages.

Now, the event of the wise men visiting the child Jesus is recorded in the Book of Matthew chapter 2. Let me just summarize the event here. While the baby Jesus is growing up in Nazareth, the non-Jewish, gentile, astrologers or the wise men from the Persian or the Babylonian region notices a unique STAR indicating the birth of the divine king of the Jews at the time of Jesus’ birth.  This group, of not just 3 in number, begin their travel along with the gifts to the King towards Jerusalem, the city where King Herod is located. After traveling for nearly several hundreds of miles and several days of traveling, they reach King Herod’s palace in Jerusalem.  The wise men assumed that the Divine and Extraordinary Baby who is destined as the king of the Jews would be born in a palace.  King Herod learns from the wise men that a king is born for the Jews and he is so disturbed and upset by the news.  Herod tries to find out the truth of the matter.  In the mean time, the news spreads all over Jerusalem and all are troubled as well.  He assembles the chief priests and the learned men of the Law and inquires them about the king of the Jews. They open up the scriptures and quote Micah 5:2, and tell the King Herod that it is written that the king of the Jews will be born in Bethlehem. Then King Herod calls the wise men secretly and gets to know from them the exact time of the appearance of the Star that marked the birth of the king.  Also, he directs them to go to Bethlehem and search for the baby and once they find the baby to let him know as well, so that he could also go and worship the baby. But God knows the intention of King Herod that he does not want to worship the baby but to kill the baby fearing that the baby would supplant him. After the wise men step out of the palace, the very same Star becomes visible to them again in the sky and begins to move ahead of them as a guide.  This Star leads the wise men in the opposite direction of Bethlehem towards Nazareth.  Please see the map for more clarity. 

After traveling for some days again, they reach Nazareth being led by the Star.  The Star leads them exactly to the house of Joseph and Mary and stops over their house. Now, Jesus is grown up a bit and is now called as child. On seeing the Child, without doubting the Divinity and Royalty of the Child because of the simple home instead of a palace, the wise men fall prostate before Him and worship Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Though these wise men were not so wise to pin point the birthplace of Jesus, they are truly wise to follow the divine guidance, which enabled them to worship the Lord with due reverence and honor.  Again, the wise men proved their wisdom by strictly following divine instruction to not to return to King Herod.  These wise men took a different route to return to their country. 

In conclusion, the visit of the shepherds and visit of the wise men from the east are not the events of the same day or night, but they are several days to several months apart. It is not understood how they got merged in the nativity scene.  Also, as clarified earlier in this article, Jesus was not born in a stable but in a home in Bethlehem.  Also, the star did not lead the wise men on the night of Jesus’ birth to Bethlehem but the star led them to Nazareth several months after Jesus’ birth.

With regards to the two important visitors, the shepherds and the wise men, let us do a bit of reasoning based on the scriptures. Shepherds were the first the heaven chose to share the good news of the birth of the Savior. God is very purposeful in choosing the recipient of the message of joy. He does not do anything shallow or meaningless.  The prophecy regarding our Savior Jesus Christ can be read in Micah 5:2 & 4

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.
⁴ And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
⁵ And he shall be their peace.”  

Also Ezekiel 34:23

²³ And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.

 ²⁴ And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

The prophecies indicate that the Ruler will arise from Bethlehem who will shepherd the Israelites. As New Testament believers we are spiritual Israelites. (If you would click this hypertext word, it would take you to the clarification).  This Ruler will not just Lord over His subjects or His people, but will be like a shepherd who risks his own life for the safety and security of his flock, who is concerned to meet the needs of them, like feeding them with adequate food and leading them to still waters and green pastures.  A ruler will have to be served, but the shepherd serves the flock. I believe with all humility that the heaven wanted to highlight this wonderful functional personality of Jesus being the Shepherd, and henceforth chose to announce the birth of Jesus first to a group of shepherds who were sincerely watching over their flock in the open field.  The Heaven did not choose the religious heads, the learned men of the law or the scribes, or the teachers of the Law or the religious followers of the Mosaic Law or a king or anybody else, but the simple shepherds.

 Jesus said in John 10
 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

 ¹² He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

¹³ He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

¹⁶ And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

When we read through these verses, we can understand the personality of Jesus Christ, our Shepherd.  He has cared for us risking His own life on the cross.  He has the power and strength to deliver us from the enemy.  He is not a hired hand but He is the owner of His flock.  That means we belong to Him.  He gives us the sense of belongingness.  He knows us meaning He understands us thoroughly and gives us the privilege of knowing Him as well.  He goes out of the way to bring the flock into His fold.  He has full authority over His life and our lives, and no one can do anything to Him or to us without His permission.  Wow, what a Shepherd He is!! How aptly the Lord has chosen the shepherds to be His first visitors. 

The second important group chosen by God is the group of wise men.  These are non-Jewish, gentile group of wise men who were genuine and sincere in their pursuit of the Divine King.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the true, wise King.  Jesus is the wisdom, redemption and sanctification.  The wise at heart will always seek this wise King. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom. The wisdom of Jesus was astounding throughout the Gospels.  No one was ever able to blame Him openly.  He questioned their questions and shut their mouths.  He could read their minds.  He is the wiser One above the wisest King Solomon because He was the One who gave the  wisdom to Solomon.  His Wisdom surpasses the wisdom of the world.  If our heart is genuine and sincere in pursuing God, we shall surely find this Wise King irrespective of any religious or cultural background. If you would receive this King as your Lord and Savior and enter into a living relationship with Him, your life will not be the same.  One encounter with this King will cause you to take a different route altogether. 

 Jesus is the good shepherd and the guiding star who leads us by the right way.  Like a shepherd He lead us tenderly, lovingly, faithfully safe guarding us every time.  He laid down His life on the cross and took it back with all authority.  He possesses all authority in the heaven and earth and grants us freedom from satan, sin, sickness, bondage, and pain.  He has come to give us life and life in abundance.  He is the wise God and King knowing the past, present, and future.  He guides us with His wisdom like the star that appeared to the wise men of the east.  If we are wise, we will surely enter into a living and loving relationship with this King of kings and Lord of lords to live a life that is conscience of His glorious presence in our lives that will trump the value of all other things in this world.

Joy to the world

The Lord has come

Let earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and heaven and nature sing

He rules the world

With truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love

And wonders of His love

And wonders and wonders of His love!!

Hope this post has clarified some things about the birth of Jesus Christ and the nativity scene as well as highlighted certain personalities of our Lord Jesus Christ.   I believe this has blessed you in a way the Lord has wanted.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments on this article.

Bonus to this message, here is a song in praise of the Wonderful Shepherd-King, What a Savior!!

Written By: Shanta S. Daniel
[Copyright@ Permission is granted to duplicate this article in its entirety, but only without additions, alterations or omissions of any kind, including the author and ministry name at the end] 

 God Bless you!!

My Father, You are my World!!

I'll Stay For Ever Jesus Here In Your Arms

I will bless You Lord!!!

Thank you, My Father!!

It’s a tremendous joy to savor the fact that God is our Father.   One of my favorite hymns is “Great is thy faithfulness O God my Father.” This song speaks of God’s goodness, kindness, compassion, God’s providence and care.  God says that He is a father to us who are the spiritual Israelites.

With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel.  Jeremiah 31:9

God says I am a father to Israel. You may ask, Bible says God is a father to the nation of Israel, it does not say that He is my father. The answer is, we are spiritual Israelites brought into the family of God by the washing in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. 

The Bible also says God is the father of all creation which means He is a father of yours and mine. 

I Corinthians 8:6

 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

 God the creator of heaven and earth and everything we see, the all-powerful, almighty, omnipresent, and omniscient One wants to have a relationship with us. We get access to this relationship through the Son, Jesus Christ.  By making Jesus as our Lord and Savior of our lives, we have received the Spirit of adoption into the family of God and through that Spirit we are able to call on the CREATOR of all things as our father as in Romans 8:15.

 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Adam, the first creation of all mankind, does not know us, Abraham does not know us and his descendants do not acknowledge us, But Lord God is our father.  This is an undeniable fact.

Isaiah 63:16

For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.

So, having impressed in your mind that God is your father, I would like to encourage you to know these things.

Father God Rewards Us:

“your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”  - Matthew 6: 18

Our Father God sees our lives which most of the time are hidden from the people. He sees everything, both good and bad.  Father God knows all our intentions and deeds.  He knows the very root of the intention, even though it is camouflaged as a good act or deed.  Our Father God who sees in secret will reward us openly.  So, we have confidence when we think or do good as our Father God who sees us will reward us.   We will also have to fear the dreadful punishment from Him when we think or do bad.

I Peter 1:17

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

Father God Reforms Our Will:

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Submit to the Father God and surrender your will to your Father and say “mould me I am just a clay in thine hand.  Father, not my will but thine be done!!”

Every time we do our Father’s Will, we please Him.  Be led by the Spirit of God for the Spirit knows the mind of God. 

 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God.” Romans 8:14

Father God Requires True Reverence:

If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you...Malachi 1:6

As we live a surrendered life to our Father God with gratitude and thankfulness, there rises worship unto Him with true reverence formed out of our true living before the Lord where nothing is hidden.

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou forever will be.

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided;
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Have you been blessed by this post? Please feel free to share your comments on this post.

Written By: Shanta S. Daniel
[Copyright@ Permission is granted to duplicate this article in its entirety, but only without additions, alterations or omissions of any kind, including the author and ministry name at the end] 

Seek the precious presence of God!!

Rest in Jesus's Amazing Grace - Peace overwhelms You!!

Do God's Will....Be led by the Spirit of God!!

Praise the Creator of Everything for He is Worthy!!

Promise of God - Psalm 84:10

Jesus You are My Constant Companion, You are my Helper, and My Best Friend!!

To Him Who Sits On The Throne And Unto The Lamb, Be Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power Forever!!!

  

Holy Spirit Rain Down -

Whatever is true - Based on Philippians 4:8

Whatever is true, whatever is right,

Whatever is pure, whatever is love - ly.

We will fix our thoughts on these things.

Jesus You're true, Jesus You're right.

Jesus You're pure, You are love - ly.

We will fix our thoughts on You.

Je - sus (Je - sus) who is like You? (who is like You?)

Je - sus (Je - sus) who is like You? (who is like You?)

Je - sus (Je - sus) who is like You? (who is like You?)

Je - sus (Je - sus) who is like You? (who is like You?)

          Who is like You?

Closer - Heart's Cry and Prayer!!

Know the Lord God intimately and do great exploits!!

 “The people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits [for God].” Daniel 11:32 (Amp).

The following Bible characters are some of them, I have picked out, who did exploits for their God.

Moses knew his God, which resulted in Divine Deliverance for the People of Israel.

Elijah knew his God, which resulted in demonstration of Divine Power.

Job knew his God and His loving kindness, which resulted in Divine Hope.

Daniel and his friends knew their God and His authority and proved to the world the Divine Sovereignty.

World says that knowledge is power.  If knowledge is power, how much more the power will be on knowing the Lord God personally and intimately.  If you and me aspire to be strong and accomplish great things for God, we need to know the Lord at a more intimate level. We can know God by reading the scriptures which is a record about God and His character and what He expects from us.  Reading the scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit gives insight into the nature and power of God.  Also, Christian life is not theoretical; it is more practical, it is in Word and in Spirit, therefore, the Spirit of God also moves with us to show who He is and what He wants us to do. So, let us aspire to grow in knowing the Lord on a daily basis. 

Hope this simple and short post is a blessing to you.

God Bless!!

Please do share your valuable thoughts and comments with us!

THE LORD REIGNS (Bob Fitts) - No Lyrics

  

  
The Lord reigns, the Lord reigns, the Lord reigns
Let the earth rejoice, let the earth rejoice
Let the earth rejoice
Let the people be glad that our God reigns

 Verse 1
A fire goes before Him and burns up all His enemies
The hills melt like wax at the presence of the Lord
At the presence of the Lord
The heavens declare His righteousness
The people see His glo ry
For You O Lord are exalted over all the earth
Over all the earth

Our God reigns (3x)

Welcome Holy Spirit - Lyrics

Give You Glory - Jeremy Camp

As We Worship You - Don Moen

JESUS, WE ENTHRONE YOU - Don Moen

Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Nations - Bob Fitts

Jesus Christ is Lord,
Jesus Christ is Lord,
Jesus Christ is Lord Of the nations. (repeat)
He is enthroned on righteousness.
He is enthroned on justice.
His blood has overcome The enemy of our souls.
He is our mighty Deliverer!

  Jesus Christ is Lord,
Jesus Christ is Lord,
Jesus Christ is Lord Of the nations.

The armies are ready for battle But the victory belongs to the Lord You have infinite power to save us 

So we call on Your name and Your Word

 O Deliverer,
come and save us 

Our Deliverer, 

You will hear us 

O Deliverer,
come and save us 

Our Deliverer,
You will hear us when we call
God will stand ready for battle We prepare in the spirit for war
By his almighty power
He save us As we call on His name and His Word 

O Deliverer, come and save us 

Our Deliverer,
you will hear us 

O Deliverer, come and save us 

Our Deliverer,
you will hear us when we call (Repeat chorus twice)

Just one of us can put A thousand to flight And two of us can send the legions fleeing

 Just one of us can put A thousand to flight And two of us can route Evil principalities

O there are many of us here 

Exalting the name of the Lord 

And in His name we declare Our vict'ry in spiritual war 

We bind the powers of the air 

By wielding the Word as our sword (Repeat chorus)

(Repeat verse twice) (Repeat chorus twice)

Over princes and powers Jesus gave authority We raise our voice With a shout He has won the victory

Pursuing the Presence of God that makes All the Difference

In the last season of 21 days fasting in March 2013, the Lord spoke to me the three revelatory Truths or The Word for the season.  The first one, I shared with you already, and that was Perez – Hebrew root word parats.  Then the Lord wanted me to meditate on the Presence, referring to His Presence, Hebrew root word panim.   

 I started meditating the presence of God that made ALL the difference through the pages of the scriptures for my personal benefit. However, this post highlights only the importance of pursuing the Presence of God.

The key context for this post is

Exodus Chapter 33

14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”

17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

Moses is having a conversation with the Lord God Almighty, the creator of Heaven and Earth. Bible says that God of Heaven and Earth spoke to Him just like talking to a friend.  In that conversation, the Lord is saying that His presence will go with Moses and the people of Israel.  Moses was very insisting and said, “Lord, if your presence doesn’t come with me and the people, please do not take us further.  We don’t want to go without You being in our midst.” The Lord gives the assurance that His Presence will go before them.  Because Moses was seeking the presence of God in His life, God made a covenant with Moses which is seen in Exodus Chapter 34 verse 10

 ¹⁰ And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the Lord: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

If the presence of a prime minister or president of a country in a place can make all the difference, how much more difference the presence of an almighty God will make in our lives.  This post is to give a call to pursue the Presence of God in our lives.

Keep on destroying the works of the Flesh by Walking in the Spirit and Walking in Obedience:

Galatians 5: 19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."

Make sure that the Holy Spirit, the Lord God, within you is comfortable residing in you:

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

Holy Spirit within us is grieved when we do things that displease Him.  When we are not led by the Spirit, we are walking independently of Him, that time He feels the discomfort and when we keep on walking in flesh according to this world, disobedient to God, we grieve Him much and slowly and finally He leaves us quietly. When the Holy Spirit arrives in a person, He comes in noticeably with some evidence like tongues or body shaking etc, or in the visible form like the dove, fire, wind, etc., but when He leaves a person, He leaves without being noticed.  The person may not know that the Lord has left him. For example Samson, a mighty Judge of the Israelites, he did extraordinary things through the anointing or the Spirit of the Lord.  But when He lost His consecration, the Lord left Samson and Samson was not aware of it. 

When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him. Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison. Judges 16.18-21. 

When a person loses consecration, he had to pay a heavy price to get back into the presence of God. But it is better to pay whatever price than to stay away from the presence of God. 

Matthew 18

7 Woe to the world for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes!

8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.

9 And if your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell (Gehenna) of fire.

However, when the evil spirit enters a person, it comes in stealthily and quietly, but when it finally goes out of a person it makes a violent exit. 

Our God is a gentle God and He is the King of kings and Lord of Lords making His residence inside of our bodies, which is His temple, and He requires all due respect and attention.  Let us resolve to make sure that our Lord is happy with us and He delights over us and sings over us. 

Prayer:  Dear Father, we come to You in Jesus Precious Name.  Lord just as Moses, Joshua, and many other servants of the Lord who valued Your presence in their lives more than anything else, help us to value Your presence in our lives more than anything else.  Help us to pursue after your Presence with all diligence.  Holy Spirit we want to be under your subjection at all times.  Lord reign over our bodies, wills, emotions, and spirits.  Let Your presence fill our bodies, the temples of the Living God.  May You be Worshiped as the Lord and King in these temples and in these lives.  In Jesus Mighty Name, we pray.  Amen!!      

If you have any other thoughts or comments related to this, please feel free to share.  Thank you!!

 Written By: Shanta Daniel
[Copyright@ Permission is granted to duplicate this article in its entirety only including the author and ministry name at the end]

How Great is Our God!!!

MY REDEEMER LIVES - NICOLE C MULLEN VIDEO WITH LYRICS HD

It's Your Blood that cleanses me (11 jan 2012)

It's Your blood that cleanses me,

It's Your blood that gives me life,

It's Your blood that took my place,

In redeeming sacrifice.

Washes me whiter than the snow ,than the snow,

My Jesus, God's precious sacrifice.

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) - Matt Redman

I Surrender - Hillsong Live (Cornerstone New 2012 DVD Album) Lyrics/Subt...

Breakthrough - Breaking in and Breaking out

We have often heard a term called “Breakthrough” and people saying I want a breakthrough in my life.  The dictionary says that a breakthrough is a major achievement or success that permits further progress; or an act of overcoming or penetrating an obstacle or restriction; or a military offensive that penetrates an enemy's lines of defense or a productive insight or an important discovery so on and so forth.

In common terms, people indicate what they mean by breakthrough is they need something sudden or dramatic to happen for that major change in their situation. A sudden positive dramatic change in one’s life and condition can be called a breakthrough.  As believers we need breakthroughs to progress further into the purposes of God for the Glory of God and this can happen only by divine intervention. How many of you are wanting a sudden change in your personal lives, finances, health, family lives, marriages, or education? You can think of any of your condition where you eagerly desiring a divine intervention, for a sudden positive change, that will catapult you to the greater purposes of God for your lives. 

Since last Sunday, the Lord introduced a new term called the Breaker Anointing that is needed for a supernatural breakthrough, for a break in and break out.  Are you understanding it? God can do a miracle just like that and He does not even need to teach a process, but what God is doing is, He is taking us into a narrow path and making us to understand the process for that move of God in our lives for a supernatural breakthrough.

You may have to go through fasting and prayer to receive the divine intervention and success. The intention of this post is to take this as a guideline to seek the Lord in fasting and prayer and receive your miracles and breakthroughs for the Glory of the Living God.  

HAVE THE REVELATION OF THE BREAKER:

First God was teaching me to have the revelation of the ONE who can cause a breakthrough.  He was teaching me about the Perez, one of the twins born to Judah and Tamar, who became the first born suddenly, unexpectedly to qualify for the blessings of a first born. The name "Perez" means "breach" (from paratz, meaning "to break through"). 

Perez is derived from the Hebrew word – parats which means

1. to break or burst out (from womb or enclosure)
2. to break through or down, make a breach in
3. to break into
4. to break open
5. to break up, break in pieces
6. to break out (violently) upon
7. to break over (limits), increase
8. to use violence
9. to burst open
10. to spread, distribute
11. to be broken down
12. to break away.

^{Genesis 38
 27} Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. ²⁸ And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” ²⁹ Then it happened, as he drew back his hand,  that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez. ³⁰ Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

The sons of Perez were valiant men as recorded in the book of Nehemiah 11:6.  Boaz and Ruth were blessed by the people around to be blessed as the family of Perez (Ruth 4:12-22). 

Bible also indicates that Jesus Christ later came in the family of King David who was born to Jesse, the son of Boaz.  God was pointing to me the aspect of Jesus Christ being the Breaker.  Bible says in Micah 2:13

¹³ The one who breaks open will come up before them;
They will break out,
Pass through the gate,
And go out by it;
Their king will pass before them,
With the Lord at their head.”     

Jesus Christ, the King of Glory, will go before us breaking the obstacles and barriers, leading us through into victory.

BREAKING THROUGH THE OBSTACLES TO RELEASE THE REVELATORY TRUTH:

The Lord wants to deal with us internally to break through our outward circumstances.  He wants to break in within us to cause break out in the external.  In order to get a word of revelation for your situation for instance for your finances, ministry, or marriage or the child your praying to have, break every obstacles like sin, satan, enemies of God, or obstacles that the Holy Spirit is pointing out.  Sit in the presence of God to show you what are the obstacles and ask Jesus, the Breaker, to break all the obstacles that are obstructing the revelatory TRUTH to be revealed to you.  Ask the Lord to soften your heart to receive the revelation.  Your natural thinking or mind is an obstacle to the revelatory truth.  Your experience is an obstacle that can hinder the revelatory truth.  We have to break out of our small-mindedness and enter into the mind of God. The word of revelation is the key with which you can break through in your prayers and it will happen in the natural.    

For example let me show an incidence from the life of David:  
I Chronicles 14

⁸ Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. ⁹ Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”

The Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”

¹¹ So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.^{[e] 12} And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

¹³ Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. ¹⁴ Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. ¹⁵ And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” ¹⁶ So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. ¹⁷ Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.

When it was revealed that the David was anointed to be the King of Israel the Philistines came against David to kill him, to kill the future king of Israel.  So, David had to go up against the Philistines after enquiring the Lord and asking His permission and instruction for that battle.  The Lord says that He will give David the victory and that the Philistines will be defeated.  David calls that place as Baal Perazim saying “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.”  Then, again the Philistines are coming up against David and his army.  Again, David inquires the Lord as what to do in this battle.  The Lord is giving specific revelation as to the strategy that David has to adopt.  The Lord is asking David not to go straight, but circle around the Philistines and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.  David will hear the marching sound in the tops of the mulberry trees, then David will have to go out to battle against the Philistines knowing that the Lord has gone ahead of him against the Philistines.   The Lord is teaching David a strategy, to circle around the camp, to come in front of them in front of the mulberry trees.  The marching sound at the tops of the mulberry trees denotes that the heavenly armies of the Lord is marching and going in front of the army of David.  David has to just follow the heavenly army and inherit the victory.  What is required of David is the circumcised, spiritual ears that are attentive and sensitive to the move of God.  His ears are to be so cleansed and purified and not contaminated to hear the marching sound of the armies of God. If we do not have the required holiness in our lives we may not decipher the move of God and we can never be effective in the Hand of God as the Lord wants us to be. Remove every obstacle like distractions, experience, uncleanness, sin, spiritual compromise, lack of integrity, every form of pride, impatience, lack of wisdom, disobedience, past success, etc., for the revelatory truth to be released for that breakthrough.

UPON RECEIVING THE REVELATION OPERATE IN THE ANOINTING OF THE BREAKER:

Now, you have received the key or the revelatory truth for that breakthrough you want.  What you need is the anointing to decree and declare that breakthrough in your life with the key, the revelatory truth, you have received.  The anointing is precious, priceless, and it requires everything.  God wants to break you free to put that anointing in you.  We have seen that one of the characters of Jesus Christ is to break through.  He is the Breaker.  When you and I are anointed by the Spirit of the one who breaks through, we can operate with the anointing and authority of the Breaker. 

Just want to share what the Lord has been teaching me in regards to the word perez and operating in the Breaker Anointing from the following passage:

II Samuel 6th chapter we see the following incidence. 

6  So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.^{[b] 4} And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. ⁵ Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.

⁶ And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. ⁷ Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. ⁸ And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day.
⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” ¹⁰ So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.

¹² Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. ¹³ And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. ¹⁴ Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁵ So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
¹⁶ Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷ So they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. ¹⁹ Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house.
²⁰ Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”
²¹ So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. ²² And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”
²³ Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

WHILE OPERATING IN THE ANOINTING KNOW THAT THE MOVE OF GOD CANNOT BE STEADIED BY HUMAN HANDS:

The passage says that the Ark of the Covenant was set in a new cart and is brought towards the City of David in a procession.  Probably, the road was not even and the oxen stumbled,  there was a man named Uzzah put forth his hand and took hold of the Ark of the Covenant.  He could have done that in the right spirit fearing that the Ark of the Covenant may fall off the cart, but the Lord’s anger rose upon Uzzah and he died there. That place was called Perez-Uzzah, the outbreak of the Lord.

What the Lord is teaching us here is that “Ark of the Covenant” is the presence or the Move of God and we cannot manipulate/handle the Move of God by our theological, philosophical, or logical reasoning or by our experience.  We should not box it up with the organizational or institutional ideas.  If attempted, it will result in spiritual death or bareness.  

WHILE YOU ARE OPERATING IN THE ANOINTING, PEOPLE MAY DESPISE YOU:

David then feared and was not willing to take the Ark of the Covenant into the City of David and he wanted the Ark to be at Obed-Edom’s House.  Then David heard that the Lord blessed the household of Obed-Edom because of the Ark of the Covenant and he gained courage to take the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David.  Now with fear and trembling, offering sacrifices to the Lord, with music, dance, and worship (Ephod is a garment of worship) he was bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David.   David’s wife Michal despises David because he was dancing on the streets and he was not acting in a dignified manner as a King should be.  People may talk ill of the anointing or the move of God.  Religious people will despise the move of God.  

WHILE OPERATING IN THE ANOINTING DO NOT FORGET THAT INTEGRITY MATTERS MOST FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD:

David replied his wife, “I’m dancing before my God who chose me, rather than your father and the people of your father’s house, to be the ruler of Israel. I will act even more undignified for the sake of the Lord.” David’s integrity is very much evident.  Even if people despise you, do not lose your integrity for the Lord.  YOUR ANOINTING IS HOLY, PRECIOUS, PRICELESS, AND IT REQUIRES EVERYTHING OF YOU.

GIVE DUE REVERENCE TO THE MOVE OF GOD AND THOSE WHO ARE ANOINTED:

The anointing is very dangerous also.  Michal was childless because she despised David, the anointed one, and the anointing that was upon David.  The Lord also gives us a caution here saying “Don’t mess with the anointing.”

OPERATING IN THE BREAKER ANOINTING TO BREAK IN AND BREAK OUT: 

God is wanting not only to give us a breakthrough but also to be used as a vessel in His hand to bring in breakthroughs in the lives of others through the anointing that He wants to lay on us.  He wants to bring about breakthroughs in our spiritual lives, physical lives, family lives, finances, and marriages.  Also, God wants to use us to break free the lives of others who are in various bondages including sexual immorality, homosexuality, pornography, gender confusion, financial bondage, generational curses, witchcraft, and so on and so forth. 

I am sure the Lord will deal with you through this message to seek the Lord with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength, to break every obstacle that is hindering you to receive the revelatory truth, to receive that anointing to declare and decree that revelation over your life, and to receive the breakthrough for your own life to become an anointed servant to declare and decree the breakthroughs in the lives of others.

May the Lord Bless You and use you for His Glory!! 

Share your valuable views and comments on this message.  Thanks in advance

Written By: Shanta Daniel
[Copyright@ Permission is granted to duplicate this article in its entirety only including the author and ministry name at the end]