Dear Partner,
What a wonderful time of year this is! Luke 2:6-14 says:
- And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
- And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
- And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
- And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
- And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
- For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ The LORD.
- And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
- And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
- Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
This great announcement began when The Angel of The LORD came upon them and the glory of The LORD shone round about them. Think about that for a moment. It was a quiet and peaceful night and, all at once, it became bright as day as The Angel of The LORD came upon them. The Angel of The LORD is anything but small. Then the whole place lit up brighter than daylight. It was THE GLORY of The LORD!
No wonder they were “sore” afraid. The word sore there means: “used of intensity and its degrees: with great effort, of the affections and emotions of the mind, powerfully affecting the senses; violent, mighty, strong.”1 Then this magnificently beautiful messenger from heaven said, “Fear not: for, look, I bring you good tidings of GREAT joy!” Then, suddenly, as if they couldn’t wait any longer, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God! My, my, don’t you know that was praise and worship more beautiful than one’s mind can imagine. However, the most important thing is what they declared in their praise. Look at verse 14:
- Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Those words were not just something nice to put on a Christmas card. Glory to God in the highest, and remember now, this is a message from heaven: “On earth peace, good will toward men.” The angel of The LORD, or The LORD, did not say “among men.” Do you see it? The sin sacrifice was in the earth, and there was nothing the devil could do to stop Him! The sin war between heaven and earth was over. That was the beginning of many more of what the great Apostle Peter wrote in his second letter in 2 Peter 1:3-4:
- According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
- Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Well, Partner, Jesus is no longer a babe in a manger.
Turn with me now to Revelation 17:13-14:
- These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
- These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is LORD of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Glory to God in the highest! He is King of kings and LORD of lords, AND those who are with Him (that’s you and me) are called and chosen and faithful.
Now go back and look at verse 5:
- And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
What’s that all about? Genesis 11:8-9 says:
- So The LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
- Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because The LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did The LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
That city was located in what is now present-day Iraq. The word babel means “confusion.” However, 1 Corinthians 14:33 says:
- For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Now look with me again at Revelation 17:5:
- And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
That confusion system is still in place. In Mark 16:15, it’s called “the world.” You and I, as CHOSEN ONES with Jesus, live under, and are subject to, the blood covenant between God and Abraham. We are found in Galatians 3:13-16:
- Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
- That THE BLESSING of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
- Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
- Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Are you shouting yet? If not read verse 26:
- For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
CHILDREN of GOD! Not children of confusion! Read on to verse 29, and shout the victory:
- And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
I’ll close with 1 Corinthians 15:1:
- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.
This is where we stand. How? By faith. Remember what The Angel of The LORD said in Luke 2:14? That was the beginning. Here then, is the end result. We know THE TRUTH, and THE TRUTH has MADE us free! From what? First Corinthians 15:54-58 in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, says:
- And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory.
- O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
- Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul] through [the abuse of] the Law.
- But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our LORD Jesus Christ.
- Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of The LORD [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of The LORD], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in The LORD is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].
Glory to God! Death is swallowed up—UTTERLY VANQUISHED forever in and unto VICTORY. How? When? When Jesus Christ of Nazareth was made a curse for us! So we, the chosen, are redeemed from the curse of spiritual death, sickness, disease and poverty, including all kinds of inflation and financial confusion! We are in THE BLESSING of Abraham, which is spiritual life, healing and prosperity. We, dear Partner, can also be found in 2 Corinthians 5:7, 17, 15 and 21:
- For we walk by faith, not by sight.
- Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
- And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
- For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We have been made the righteous of God in Him!
As you sow your BLESSING seed this month, you are sowing toward a marvelous 2023. No more Babylon, but as blood-of-Jesus, Covenant Partners in His grace. Hebrews 13:8, says: “Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages)”! (AMPC).
Your God and my God is the God of more than enough! Gloria and I pray for you every day, at every meal. KCM and EMIC pray for you every day, as well.
Have an absolutely wonderful and amazing Christmas, from our family to yours!
GOD Loves You! We Love You! And Jesus is LORD!
BE BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE,
