He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:11-14
believe Him
Seeking To Destroy Him
And He entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse Him. And He saith unto the man which had the withered hand,
“Stand forth.”
And He saith unto them,
“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill?”
But they held their peace. And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man,
“Stretch forth thine hand.”
And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
Mark 3:1-6
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were keeping their eyes on Jesus, just waiting like a hungry lion to pounce on their prey, and devour Him. Jesus was going about ministering to the people – preaching and teaching of the kingdom of heaven, healing the sick, the lame walked, and the dead were raised to life again.
The world has not changed much. The enemy is out to destroy Jesus and all those who love Him. Millions of dollars maybe billions is spent on decorating for remembering the birth of Jesus, and for giving gifts to one another.
Christmas is a fun time for most children, and some adults, and it should be; I know it is with my wife and I, and the rest of our family. Yet, there are others who are hurting, because they have lost a loved one to death; or they have lost a job and are currently unemployed; and maybe sickness in the family that takes the joy from their heart and life.
No matter what your situation is in life there is someone who cares about you and the circumstances of your life. He loves you. You can have joy again by trusting in Jesus who is the Christ of God, or you can choose to be one of those who are seeking to destroy Christ and all who follow Him. If you choose not to follow Him then you have chosen the other, and you are God’s enemy and in desperate trouble.
Choose to follow Jesus who died on the cross for you; He was buried, and He rose again.
He Is GOD, There Is None Like Him
For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? Or hath God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD He is God; there is none else beside Him. Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee: and upon earth He shewed thee His great fire; and thou heardest His words out of the midst of the fire.
Deuteronomy 4:32-36
“But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work to day in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not:’ but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir:’ and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?”
They say unto him, ‘The first.’ Jesus saith unto them,
“Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”
Matthew 21:28-32
Then Paul answered, “What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 21:13
Know The Father And The Son
“If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.”
Philip saith unto Him, “Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” Jesus saith unto him,
“Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou, ‘Shew us the Father?’ Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake.” John 14:7-11
What can be said to help in understanding the words of Jesus? If you know Jesus you know the Father also. If you know the Father you know the Son. If you believe the Father you believe the Son. If You believe the Son you believe the Father.
If you see the Son you see the Father. If you see the works of Jesus You see the works of the Father. Believe Him.
The Fire and Hammer 