Parent Category (Pocket Sized Thoughts [Roger Jacobs])
 


Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 7

That we may serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.” (Luke 1:74-75)

When the cousin of Jesus, John the Baptist, was born and named, these words were part of the prophecy given by his father, Zacharias. Because of his unbelief, Zacharias had not spoken for nine months. After declaring, by writing, that the child’s name was to be John, his mouth was opened, his tongue loosened and he began to speak and praise God (Luke 1:64). Extraordinary things happen when we obey and believe. It allows the Holy Spirit to work. As Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, he prophesied about a horn of salvation being raised up for us (Luke 1:69). A horn, in this context, is like a rallying point, or cry, announcing what God was about to do. This refers to the salvation, which would become available through the Lord Jesus Christ. Part of this salvation is not only being saved from our sins (the negative aspect, if you like), but being delivered in order (the positive aspect) that we should have a new basis of relationship with God. That is, all dread of God would be gone and that our natural propensity to sin and fail would be replaced by holiness and righteousness … for ever. This is not possible with us, but it is possible with God when the Holy Spirit does His amazing work of new birth in our lives. All this is possible because of the glorious incarnation of the Son of God.

PRAYER :- “Lord, thank you, that through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, you have come to change the inner nature of my life.”


Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 6

The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” (Luke 1:35)

These words were spoken to Mary. An angel had come and announced that she would give birth to a son even before she ever sexually knew a man. The promises of ‘her child’ being the Son of the Highest (i.e. God), having the throne of David, ruling the house of Jacob and having an unending kingdom (verses 32 and 33) were indeed wonderful. However, as incredible as these promises were, her natural reaction was to ask how these things were going to happen. This was not a question of unbelief as seen in Zacharias (Luke 1:18), but a genuine enquiry from a willing soul. In reply, it was said that the Holy Spirit would come upon her. In other words, that same Holy Spirit would undertake all the responsibility. All that was required of her was compliance. Listen to her gracious, willing answer :- “Be it unto me according to your word” (v.38). This was the response of a loving, believing and obedient heart. She was willing to place her entire self at God’s disposal. No conditions, just fully affectionate submission. Nothing further needed to be said and the angel left. When we properly transact with the Lord, as Mary did, we can leave it all with Him. There is no need to add anything. With such loving surrender, the Holy Spirit will cause the life of God’s Son to be born in us; or to put it another way, another son of God will be born. This is true new birth.

PRAYER :- “Lord, thank you we can be born again by your Spirit; help me to bow and to believe.”


Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 5

They shall call His name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Prophesied over 600 years earlier by Isaiah, the birth of Christ Jesus is the fulfilment of that word. This, that is ‘God with us’ is His primary name, or description. As we have been previously considering, all the wonder of the eternal Godhead has come to be alongside and deeply involved with the human race. He is no detached, or capricious god bestowing perceived favours upon a select few. No matter how far we think we have wandered away from Him, He is utterly available to us all. The other name He was given was, of course, Jesus (Matthew 1:21). This also is highly descriptive as it means that He will save His people from the ravages and destructive power of sin. God with us to do what we could not do for ourselves, that is to save from the destruction of sin. If we will allow Him and own Him as both Lord and Saviour, He will not only and simply be, God with us, but He will also become God in us, ‘Christ in us, the hope of glory’ (Colossians 1:27). This is the reason of His coming and the plan of His salvation. No longer the everlasting, all-powerful God limited to one very special Person upon the earth, but really living in as many who will truly receive Him. How He does this will be thought about next, but is it so for you?

PRAYER :- “Lord, thank you that your names have such depth of meaning; help me to experience all that they mean in my life.”


Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 4

I was set up from everlasting. From the beginning, or ever the earth was …. I was brought forth.” (Proverbs 8:22,23)

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the author of Proverbs chapter 8 (probably Solomon) wrote thus of wisdom. But as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:30, “Christ Jesus … is made unto us, wisdom …” Therefore, these verses in Proverbs (please do read 8:22-31) can be interpreted to equally apply to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. When read like this, the majesty of Creation is set alongside the even greater majesty of the Lord Jesus Himself. Before there were mountains, depths, rivers, clouds, etc., and even while the heavens and the stars were being prepared, He was there (v.27). All things were created by Him and also for Him (Colossians 1:16). The purpose of Creation was to sing of His glory and declare all His handiwork (see Psalm 19:1). How much more when He came to live on the very earth He created. One can almost imagine every flower He passed by, expressing its gratitude to Him who created it. These are His delights (v.31). How much more He rejoices when people turn to Him and acknowledge their Creator, who has become human. Is your life His delight? If not, turn to Him this season so that He may rejoice over you.

PRAYER :- “Lord, thank you that you created me to bring you delight and not shame.”


Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 3

He humbled Himself, making Himself as nothing, took upon Himself the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7)

These are incredible thoughts. The Lord of all glory, the Creator-Sovereign of the entire universe humbled Himself by becoming human. His deity was not a prize, or title to be held onto at any cost. And, far from letting go, or losing out on something, that is, His deity, He took something on, that is, the structure of a man slave. Christ was and still is, God; only the form changed. And, not becoming any kind of man, but one who was a servant, to serve. These thoughts alone should stop us in our tracks and make us bow before His superlative greatness. Think of it; the Supreme King, not coming to crush us, nor even to present us with an impossible standard to live up to, but to come to gently serve, lead and guide to know more of Him. As Charles Wesley wrote in one of his hymns, “God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man.” It is a mystery and defies explanation, but it is not esoteric and all mysterious. The simplest child can know and believe and thus, embrace all that it means of God taking on human flesh and living among us. Wonder of wonders, God incarnate!

PRAYER :- “Lord, thank you that you ever came to help and serve me in my lost estate.”


Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 2

This is a faithful saying … that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

Though the date and year of Christ’s birth may be in dispute, what is indisputable is the fact that He came. God’s plan of salvation for sinners was not kept under lock and key in heaven. It is available and attainable to all. God acted in selfless love in sending His Son into the World. This was no hasty, spur of the moment plan to patch things up. This was His salvation planned from before the foundation of the world and gradually revealed to the human race through various prophets that He had chosen to be His messengers. Listen to some of them :- “a virgin shall conceive and shall call His name Immanuel” and “unto us a child is born, a son is given” (Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6); and “You Bethlehem … out of you shall come forth unto Me, one that shall be a ruler in Israel.” (Micah 5;2). These were things that angels desired to look into. Some may say, “Why did it take so long?” In answer, rejoice that He ever came at all. We did not instigate His coming; we did not even invite Him. It was entirely and totally initiated by God. It was all done by Him from His great heart of love and grace; and all for the purpose to save. What greater thoughts to occupy the human mind than these?

PRAYER :- “Lord, thank you that you came down to earth, down to our level, to lift us up.”


Pocket Sized Thoughts – Christmas – Part 1

In the beginning was the Word … and the Word became flesh.” (John 1:1,14)

At this time of year, the thoughts of all true believers begin to turn again to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. What we know as Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s birth upon earth. Though the exact date and year is open to question, what is most profound is that Christ existed before He was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary. Christ has ever been the eternal, uncreated One. Described in John’s gospel as the Word, Christ is the very manifest expression of all that God is. He is the exact image of God (Hebrews 1:3) and as Jesus said, he who has seen Him, has seen the Father (John 14:9). Questions that were once asked such as “How can we see God and live?” and “O, that I knew where to find Him” are all gloriously and wonderfully answered by the fact this seemingly unknowable and unapproachable God has made Himself available by becoming human flesh and living in this sin-sick, far from perfect world. John 1:14 goes onto say that He lived, not in a palace, but among us – everyday people with everyday lives, tempted in all points as we are, but yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). God has made Himself known and approachable to all the human race.

PRAYER :- “Lord, thank you that You have made Yourself known and knowable.”