The Night Before Christmas - Luke 2:4-11

This is Namma for Christ with the one hundred twenty-third  inspirational message dated Friday, November 17th, 2017.  The title of this message is, “The Night Before Christmas - Luke 2:4-11".  The first four words in the title of this message are also the title of the above anointed song/video (with lyrics) entitled “The Night Before Christmas” as sung by Brandon Heath.
The scripture comes from the book of Luke - the 4^ththrough the 11th verses of the second chapter - as written by Luke.


Luke 2:4-11

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

As we began to enter another holiday season, I wanted to focus on the "TRUE REASON FOR THE SEASON: JESUS!"
Recently, on my local Christian radio station, 99.1 STAR FM, they started to play "Christmas music" already! I thought it was wonderful that they already are sharing the joyous sounds of this season! This is truly a "wonderful, joyous, and blessed" time of  the year"! I decided to share with you the above song and video entitled, "The Night Before Christmas" by Brandon Heath. It shares the Christmas Story in a unique way, by looking at the world from the perspective of  - "the night BEFORE Jesus was born"!
Praise God that Jesus "was" BORN and that God loved us so much to give us His Son as John 3:16 reminds us below:

John 3:16
New King James Version (NKJV)
 
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
 
Jesus - is the GREATEST GIFT GIVEN and the GREATEST GIFT we will ever receive!  Let's celebrate this Christmas holiday season focused on JESUS!
 
He is truly THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
 
Please enjoy the above anointed song/video entitled, "The Night Before Christmas" by Brandon Heath.

 (I do not own the rights to this song.)

 
BE BLESSED!
 

My Redeemer Lives: Jesus - Job 19:25

This is Namma for Christ with the one hundred twenty-second  inspirational message dated Saturday, November 11th, 2017.  The title of this message is, “My Redeemer Lives: Jesus – Job 19:25".  The first three words in the title of this message are also the title of the above anointed song/video (with lyrics) entitled “My Redeemer Lives” as sung by Nicole C. Mullen.
The scripture comes from the book of Job - the 25^th
verse of the nineteenth chapter - as written by Job. 

Job 19:25

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁵ For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth

Recently, I was listening to and enjoying the song,  “My Redeemer Lives” as sung by Nicole C. Mullen.  I decided to research on the Internet the meaning of "Redeemer" - the below is what I discovered:

Question: "What is the meaning of a

Christian Redeemer?"

 

(Excerpt from:  “gotQuestions?org”)

Answer: Everyone is in need of redemption.

 

Our natural condition was characterized by guilt: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Christ’s redemption has freed us from guilt, being “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).

The benefits of redemption include eternal life (Revelation 5:9-10), forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), righteousness (Romans 5:17), freedom from the law’s curse (Galatians 3:13), adoption into God’s family (Galatians 4:5), deliverance from sin’s bondage (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:14-18), peace with God (Colossians 1:18-20), and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). To be redeemed, then, is to be forgiven, holy, justified, free, adopted, and reconciled. See also Psalm 130:7-8 (see below):

Psalm 130:7-8

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷ O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
⁸ And He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

The word redeem means “to buy out.” The term was used specifically in reference to the purchase of a slave’s freedom. The application of this term to Christ’s death on the cross is quite telling. If we are “redeemed,” then our prior condition was one of slavery.

 

God has purchased our freedom, and we are no longer in bondage to sin or to the Old Testament law. This metaphorical use of “redemption” is the teaching of Galatians 3:13 and 4:5 (see below):

Galatians 3:13

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

Galatians 4:5

 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Related to the Christian concept of redemption is the word ransom. Jesus paid the price for our release from sin and its consequences (Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6). His death was in exchange for our life. In fact, Scripture is quite clear that redemption is only possible “through His blood,” that is, by His death (Colossians 1:14) (see below):
 
Colossians 1:14

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

The streets of heaven will be filled with former captives who, through no merit of their own, find themselves redeemed, forgiven, and free. Slaves to sin have become saints. No wonder we will sing a new song—a song of praise to the Redeemer who was slain (Revelation 5:9) (see below):

 

Revelation 5:9

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

We were slaves to sin, condemned to eternal separation from God. Jesus paid the price to redeem us, resulting in our freedom from slavery to sin and our rescue from the eternal consequences of that sin.

BECAUSE OF JESUS - WE ARE FREE! JESUS PAID OUR SIN DEBT! LET US LIVE TO PLEASE JESUS - BECAUSE..... "OUR REDEEMER LIVES: JESUS"!

Please listen to and enjoy the above anointed song/video (with lyrics) entitled “My Redeemer Lives” as sung by Nicole C. Mullen



(I do not own the rights to this song.)


BE BLESSED!