How many times have you had an expectation of someone, and they told you they were too busy?
How many times have you given the same reason/excuse? We all say it sometimes because it’s true…most of us have VERY busy lifestyles.
Between work, family, this and that…that and this… and honoring our responsibilities to God we are being pulled on every side.
We all have different levels of responsibility and accountability.
Some of us even have public jobs and responsibilities that affect more people, and not doing the job well can have far reaching consequences.
But, the truth is that all of us are equally busy. Everyone’s BUSY is important to them and the people within their circle.
The problem is when some people act as though their busy is more busy their your busy.
I will never forget when I was in my corporate job, that many times those in executive leadership would walk up to people while in a conversation, or while you working, and either rudely interrupt or expect them to stop in the middle of what they were doing…even for something trivial. They had an over-inflated since of important and assumed their busy was more important than their ‘subordinates’. In reality, everyone in that organization was EQUALLY fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives…just people working for a living.
That’s why we should have realistic expectations in all of our relationships, and do the best we can to honor the expectations and responsibilities to those who are closest to us.
Because the truth is that…
Everyone is busy, so it’s not just about having the time, but it’s about making the time.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV)
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
It’s unfortunate that many who claim to be disciples in Christ are so easily impressed by so-called strong words, insults, profanity, threats, retaliation, aggression…what the world calls strength.
In today’s society people consider humility, meekness, and restraint are weakness, while they see arrogance and pride as strength. MEEKNESS ISN’T WEAKNESS…
Think about it. Even some women when asserting themselves claim they have ‘balls’. God never told us to have balls, but rather a tender heart.
The bible clearly, and explicitly lets us know the character He demands of those who claim to be His. He clearly gives us the true evidence, or “Fruit” that we possess His Spirit, character and attributes…
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)
5Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
Matthew 5:39 (NKJV)
39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Think about how many Christians are perfectly comfortable saying, “Hell yeah!” or “Hell no!” when Yeshua clearly said that ANYTHING above “YES” “NO” is from the devil and evil…
Matthew 5:37 (NKJV)
37 But let [a]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Almost 100 percent of the time, when I present the argument for quiet, Godly strength, the response is always the same...
“What about when Jesus was turning over the money changers in the temple or when He was rebuking the scribes and pharisees?”
Jesus was being no MORE strong when He got angry in the temple than when He was allowing them to insult Him…
Jesus was being no LESS strong when He allowed them to spit on Him, beat Him and insult Him than when He sharply rebuked His antagonists…
Jesus was being HIS STRONGEST when He endured the pain and shame of the cross.
Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)
2 looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
This blog is my youngest child! It’s the only child I have that I’ve birthed instead of my wife.
It’s the platform God made available to me to share what He places inside me and holds me responsible to share with the generations.
I take it very seriously and pray that God’s gifts of exhortation, edification, admonition, inspiration, comfort, laughter, repentance and salvation are perfected in every word.
So, please accept my sincere thank you for helping me reach this milestone of 200,000 views.
It’s my prayer to reach beyond a billion and bring forth a harvest of God fruit through our Savior Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).
Matthew 6:16-18 (NKJV)
16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the [a]hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you [b]openly.
Don’t wait until December to study Yeshua’s birth.
John 4:24 (NKJV)
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The traditional ‘nativity scene’ depicting the night that Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was born is a favorite Christmas decoration and reenactment.
Of course it features Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus, the shepherds, and the Magi or ‘wise men’ from the East.
There’s only one problem…
The Magi or ‘wise men’ were not there that night…not yet.
When you read the account closely, the location that the wise men found Jesus was not a stable, and He was not in a manger. He was no longer an infant, and Joseph was not present when the wise men visited.
Matthew 2:11 (NKJV)
11 And when they had come into the HOUSE, they saw the YOUNG CHILD with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Luke 2:15-16 (NKJV)
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
It says very clearly that they arrived at a house, that Jesus was a young child, and His father wasn’t there at the time. At the scene of the birth Jesus is called a Babe, while at the scene with the wise men He is called a small child.
Notice also that the events recorded in Matthew 2:1-12 took place AFTER Yeshua was born. And, one must consider the took some time…
Matthew 2:1-12 (NKJV)
Now AFTER Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, [a]wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the [b]wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
After the LORD was born, the wise men traveled to Jerusalem after seeing the star and inquired of where they could find Jesus…that took some time.
After hearing of this, Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes and asked them where Christ was born…that took some time.
Herod then secretly requested that the wise men come to him. After determining when the star appeared, he asked the wise men to CAREFULLY (take you time) search for the “young child”… that took some time.
After finding the LORD, the wise men didn’t return to Herod, but went straight to their own country, further implying a longer journey…that took some time.
Consider this from my post, “Accepting That Something You’ve Sincerely Believed Is Wrong”…
According to verses 9-10, when they came to where the star stood over where the YOUNG CHILD was (not baby), they came into THE HOUSE (not stable) and found Jesus with His mother (Joseph wasn’t present at the time).
According to verse 12, after being warned in a dream, they departed into their own country…you can’t do all of that in one night’s time.
In verses 16 Herod ordered that all male children age 2 and under be killed…because that’s when the star first appeared.
After the wise men leave, that’s when Joseph’s name reappears as he takes his family into Egypt.
Some people are so accustomed to believing the wise men were there in the stable, that rather than accept that may not be true and they came later, we start trying to find a way to prove what wish to believe is true…rather than seek the real truth.
The fact is that the shepherds and wise men visited Jesus on two different occasions, possibly separated by about two years.
Many of those who have the traditional nativity scene ingrained in their minds may ask, “What does it matter?”
Again, because God said that anything done to worship Him MUST be done in spirit and not truth. Unfortunately, Christians are notorious for twisting and compromising to fit traditions and their will instead of God’s.
If you’re going to celebrate the Son of God’s birth, do it in SPIRIT AND TRUTH!
BE BLESSTIFIED! 