There is a series of seven characters mentioned by name in the first two chapters of Luke and another series of seven in the first two verses of chapter 3. The first includes Zacharias, Elisabeth, Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, and John the Baptist; while those in the second are Tibrias Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Philip, Lysanias, Annas, Caiaphas.
The first seven are representative of the few, despised faithful among the people of God. Them the world did not know and did not care whether it knew them.
The other seven was the whole world in its might and glory—the Roman emperor and the empire over which he ruled, the Roman governor and all Judea, Herod and all his court, Annas and Caiaphas and with them the apostate nation that was ere long to crucify its Lord.
Of the first seven the world took no notice, but they were precious to God.
Of the other seven the world filled its books with their history, their exploits, their achievements. But God in His Word gives them just one and one-half verses while the other despised seven rate one hundred thirty-two verses.
The first seven are dear to God's heart because of their attitude to His beloved Son. The second seven are ignored because whosoever does not know and love Christ is of no account in God's sight.
-The angels praise God.
-The shepherds made known what was told them concerning the Child, and men wondered at the things told them by the shepherds.
-Mary pondered all these things in her heart.
-Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel
-Joseph marveled at the things spoken of the Babe
-Anna gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Those are the men and women God knows. Do you belong to them?
—August Van Ryn
Showing posts with label God's love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's love. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Monday, December 14, 2015
Who Cares, Anyway? Part One
"I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul."—Psalm 142:1-4
We say that we care about many things, but it is not enough just to care. We must care enough!
If I asked church members, "Do you care about your church?" they would say, "That's a foolish question. Sure, I care about my church."
If I asked parents, "Do you care about your home and what happens to it?" they would answer, "Sure! That's a foolish and superfluous question to ask."
If I asked the man of the house, "Do you care about your wife? Your children and how they turn out?" he would answer, "Why ask that dumb question? Sure, I care about my wife and children."
If I asked a wife, "Do you care about your husband and your home?" she would say, "What a foolish question. Sure I care about my husband and my home."
If I asked children, "Do you care about your parents?" they would answer, "Sure I care about my parents."
If I asked the church, "Do you care about all the little children in your church?" the answer would be, "Sure we care about them."
We say we care about many, many things; but the question comes back to us: Do we care enough?"
Do You Care Enough About Your Family?
Husbands and wives, do you care enough about your spouse to be true to each other? To tell each other you care? To live right for each other? Do you care enough to tell each other every day, "I love you"?
I hear some husbands say, "She knows that. I told her that a long time ago!" Don't you think she'd like to hear it again? Don't you like to hear that God loves you?
Husband, do you care enough to take the leadership role, or do you leave that up to her or someone else?
You say you care about your spouse, but do you care enough to live a godly life before each other and do the things that you ought to be doing for each other?
You say that you care about children, but do you care enough to live the kind of life you should before them? Do you care enough to take them to church and to hold the church and preacher in high esteem?
It's not enough just to care; you have to care enough!
We say that we care about many things, but it is not enough just to care. We must care enough!
If I asked church members, "Do you care about your church?" they would say, "That's a foolish question. Sure, I care about my church."
If I asked parents, "Do you care about your home and what happens to it?" they would answer, "Sure! That's a foolish and superfluous question to ask."
If I asked the man of the house, "Do you care about your wife? Your children and how they turn out?" he would answer, "Why ask that dumb question? Sure, I care about my wife and children."
If I asked a wife, "Do you care about your husband and your home?" she would say, "What a foolish question. Sure I care about my husband and my home."
If I asked children, "Do you care about your parents?" they would answer, "Sure I care about my parents."
If I asked the church, "Do you care about all the little children in your church?" the answer would be, "Sure we care about them."
We say we care about many, many things; but the question comes back to us: Do we care enough?"
Do You Care Enough About Your Family?
Husbands and wives, do you care enough about your spouse to be true to each other? To tell each other you care? To live right for each other? Do you care enough to tell each other every day, "I love you"?
I hear some husbands say, "She knows that. I told her that a long time ago!" Don't you think she'd like to hear it again? Don't you like to hear that God loves you?
Husband, do you care enough to take the leadership role, or do you leave that up to her or someone else?
You say you care about your spouse, but do you care enough to live a godly life before each other and do the things that you ought to be doing for each other?
You say that you care about children, but do you care enough to live the kind of life you should before them? Do you care enough to take them to church and to hold the church and preacher in high esteem?
It's not enough just to care; you have to care enough!
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