Day 2 - Verse 96 - "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have seen Him going into heaven." Acts 1:11

In our common day vernacular, do you think the angels would have said, "Guys from Galilee - He's gone - you can quit looking up in the clouds......"

...."for now."  

For now, this Jesus is gone from your sight.  For now, you won't be able to see Him, walk with Him, hear His actual earthly voice like you've been doing for the past three years.  For now, you need to go to Jerusalem and wait, like He told you, because He is sending someone else to be your Companion (John 14:16).  For now, you won't ever truly be alone, for His Spirit will reside within you, teaching you and reminding you of everything that He has said to you. (John 14:26)  For now, remain faithful and remain strong; never be afraid for all that you have seen and heard has been true...Jesus is who He has said He is...He is your Lord, He is your King.

For now, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and teaching them everything that Jesus has taught you.  For now, don't worry about what the world thinks of you, or even what they threaten you with.  For now, stand firm in your faith, even unto your death...for now.

Because, you see, guys from Galilee..."This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have seen Him going into heaven."

One day, all the "for nows" will be over!  Jesus will return in the clouds to claim His own.  "For now" will be replaced with an eternal FOREVER of wonderful ever after, with Jesus ruling from His throne.  

So, we don't have to continue to stare up into the clouds...for now Jesus is guiding His believers through His Spirit living within us, through His Holy Word given for our every need, and we need to be about His business...the heavenly business of spreading the Gospel throughout this "for now" world we live in. And when Jesus comes, we won't have to be standing on the Mount of Olives looking up into the very clouds where He departed in order to get a good view...for every eye on earth shall see Him coming in His splendor!  (Revelation 1:7)

Come Lord Jesus!

Day 1 - Verse 96 - "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven."

Wow!  Remember talking about the angels giving the shepherd their "sign"?  Now approximately 33 years later, the angels give another very important announcement along with an accompanying sign: Jesus will return, and He will return in the same way that He left.

This is our transitional verse from those regarding Jesus first coming to those proclaiming His promised return.  Because those first verses were s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d over a fairly long period of time, it probably is a very good idea to review them:


Isaiah 9:6  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be on His shoulders.  And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,The mighty God, The eternal Father, The Prince of Peace."

Luke 2:10   "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people.' "

Luke 2:11  "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:12  "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in a cloth and lying in a manger."

Now we hear the angels speak immediately after Christ's ascension into heaven.  "This Jesus"...this Jesus that the disciples have spent the past three years of their life with...this Jesus that they have left their families and vocations to follow...this Jesus that they have watched die with agony, and with their remorse...this Jesus that they witnessed as their resurrected Lord and Savior, attesting to God's power over death...this Jesus, has now left them on their own to proclaim Him to the nations.

For right before Jesus was lifted into the heavens, He gave these departing instructions to His followers:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

The angels pronounced Jesus' birth, He lived, He died, He rose again, He ascended into the heavens. Now the angels tell us that He will return.  This Jesus IS coming back...we will see Him come for us, whether at the time of our physical death, or when He comes in the clouds, riding a white horse, to rule the world for eternity.  Just as the shepherds didn't doubt the angels the first time, let us not doubt them with their announcement to us.  Let us not be among the scoffers that Peter (2 Peter 3:3-4) talks about who express their doubt saying things like, "People have thought Jesus was coming back for 2,000 years...hasn't happened yet, probably never will", or, "Life is going on just like it always has...nothing is ever going to change."

Yes, it has been 2,000 years, and yes, even the disciples probably thought Jesus would return sooner than He has.  But remember how long Israel waited for their Messiah....and some are still waiting, not recognizing that the baby born in Bethlehem is the King they have been waiting for.  God's timing is perfect and He alone knows when the trumpet shall sound, announcing Jesus triumphal return.  Until then, keep looking for Him...and be among those who anticipate that day with great joy in our hearts.

Come Lord Jesus!

Day 4 - Verse 95 - "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger." Luke 2:12

This will be our last day on this verse...is it implanted in your brain for future reference?  What is it about this verse that will stick with you?  The fact that God's Son was sent to earth in such meager surroundings showing God's total indifference to earthly wealth?  Or that the angels delivered such a specific sign to the shepherds and that we are also given signs to watch for?  Or that the shepherds had to go and seek to find the promised King just as we are told to seek to find Jesus our Savior? Or maybe you have something different that you have pulled out of this one sentence verse that you will take with you.

This is God's Word, "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in a cloth and lying in a manger."  There is something for every person who reads this verse that God is ready to impart to you.  I am convinced that there is not a word of Scripture that is not intentional and purposeful if we ask God for His insight to see what He wants us to see through His utterances to us.

As we go through the rest of this Scripture memorization, I would remind you not to take lightly the fact that we are putting into our memories God's actual words...these are not helpful hints, or meaningful quotes, Scripture is the sword of the Spirit.  These are words that can slay our enemy. They have divine power and purpose.

Ephesians 6:13-18
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

There's a reason that the Word of God is referred to as a sword---it is our offensive weapon to be used against our enemy, and it is the surgeon's scalpel that can exorcise the malignancies residing in our lives.  Use it as the very effective weapon and tool that has been given us.

Right now, I have to remind myself that I have this sword ready to pick up and take with me into each day.  When I am tempted to be fearful of what may lay ahead in my life and in the lives of my children and grandchildren, I remind myself that God has not left us unarmed.  We have been given His Word to allow us to move forward without fear!

Let's march forward with this tool at our ready disposal.  Not fearful, but ready for battle.

And this most recent verse will go with us---don't let anyone steal it from you---your Savior came, angels announced it, shepherds heard and obeyed, and they sought Him out and found Him...just as they had been promised.  Just as we are promised.  Just as all are promised.  Be like the angels today and PROCLAIM Him to someone who needs to know this beautiful story!

Day 3 - Verse 95 - "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger." Luke 2:12

"You will find a baby.."

The angels sent the shepherds out to search for a baby...the baby they had declared was God's gift to mankind..a Savior.  I find it interesting that they didn't deliver the baby to the shepherds (they could have!), and they didn't miraculously transport the shepherds to the manger (they could have!), but they sent them out. Just like the Magi coming from the East, the shepherds had to start their own trek to find this special child...to seek, to find.

When I think about this, I can't help but think of the verses in Deuteronomy 4:29

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. 

and Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

and Matthew 7:7

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

The shepherds were promised that they would find the source of their worship IF they set out on their search and looked for the baby that the angels had described.  They would not find Him if they didn't go and look for Him.  They would not be able to testify to the truth of the angels' proclamation if they did not do their part and set out to seek Him.

We are likewise promised that we will find God and His truth...but we have to set out on our own journey and diligently seek it.  God invites us to seek Him, to show our desire for Him, to ask for His wisdom (James 1:5) and He promises that our seeking will not be in vain...He will make Himself known to us.  And for the prodigal, He waits to see us running down the road back to Him, and He is there...with arms open wide, to receive us.

The angels prompted the shepherds to go and find Him...the Spirit prompts us to go and find Him.  If you have never started your journey, it is not too late.  If you have and have gotten sidetracked, it is not too late to return to your trek.

The biggest mistake we can make is to ignore the call, continue to sit in our field and watch our sheep....or TV, or FB, or.....

Day 2 - Verse 95 - "This will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger." Luke 2:12

What part of this verse is most important to you?  If you had been one of the shepherds on that dark winter night, hearing the angels proclaim the Messiah's arrival on planet earth, hearing them say, "This will be the sign for you...", what would you have thought?  Would there have been any chance at all that you would have ignored the fact that they have told you "the sign" to find this baby that will change the world?

When we are given signs, do we follow them?  The shepherds did.  They didn't hesitate.  The angels said, "here's the sign to look for" and they went out on their search.  The search for the baby that matched the sign's criteria...wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger.  When they found that baby, they knew they had found the object of the angels' divine announcement.

Aren't we glad the shepherds didn't ignore the angels' instructions?  They paid attention.  They obeyed.

Are we still given signs?  Are we paying attention?

The disciples asked Jesus, "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"  Jesus didn't think their question out of line or unworthy of a very serious and detailed response---the next 30 verses of Matthew 24.  What signs did Jesus relay:
1. Deception
2. False Messiahs
3. Wars & Rumors of Wars
4. Famines & Earthquakes
5. Persecution because of Allegiance to Christ
6. Falling Away from Faith
7. Increase of Wickedness
8. Loss of Love for Others
9. Preaching of the Gospel throughout the World

And what did Jesus tell His followers to do?  To "stand firm to the end."

Here are our signs.  Are we seeing them?  Are we looking?  Jesus told His disciples at the close of this chapter, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door."

"Near", "right at the door"---relative terms in God's perspective of time.  But when we look at the signs, we cannot ignore that  they speak to our time.  Let us not be caught unaware.  Let us be diligent in our watching, asking for God's wisdom and discernment to see the signs that He sets before us.  But most importantly, to be obedient to Christ's command...to "stand firm to the end."

I am sitting in my home in Amarillo, Texas, on the eve of a Presidential primary election.  I am so thankful for the freedom to vote and I will celebrate in my ability to do that tomorrow. There are many things that I see going on in this election that make me watchful, and wary. My confidence is in no man and in no human's declarations of their power or ability to make all things great again. I pray that we elect a leader who seeks to do God's will; one who prays and humbles himself before God. I pray for that.  I pray that we do not fall into voting out of fear, but out of faith...putting our trust in God, not any man.

I am reminded that as a follower of Christ I am not to be anxious and I am not to fear.  No matter the outcome of our elections, I know that God is sovereign and trustworthy...and I will watch...watch for the signs.  And I pray that I will always, always, stand firm to the end.

For that baby who came wrapped snugly in cloths and lying in a manger, IS coming again!

Watch!

Day 1 - Verse 95 - "This will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger." Luke 2:12

Technically, this is Day 2 for this verse of announcement of our Savior's birth.  But since the first day that we discussed it was in June 2014, I think we might just want to start over...agreed?

So I'm not going to go back and resurrect that day's discussion.  Not even sure what was said.  Let's just start fresh and see what Scripture says to us today

If you'll remember, we are using Robert Morgan's book, 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart.  Morgan divides his book into sections of Scripture so that we memorize verses that pertain to one another.  The last section of the book, the section that we are in, is "Alpha and Omega: The First and Second Comings of Christ."

The preceding verses in this section have been:

Isaiah 9:6   For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Luke 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Bringing us to today's announcement, "This will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger."  Luke 2:12

The angels told the shepherds of a sign...their sign was that the baby they were seeking would be wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger. The baby that they had already been told was a cause for great joy.  The baby that they had already been told was a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord.

And how were they to be sure that the baby they found was the right baby?  Well, this heavenly sent baby, this Savior, this Messiah, this Lord would be found wrapped and in a manger....a manger!?!

Do you think the shepherds might have looked at each other after the angels departed and said, "Did you hear what I heard?  Did they really say the baby would be in a manger?  Maybe he said mansion...yeah, I bet that was it...our Savior, our King, must be in a mansion!"

No, the shepherds knew what they had heard...and they went to find the baby just as the angels had said, lying in a manger.  Does this tell us anything about the way that God views our value system? He found a meager manger to allow His Son to be born in...did that lowly manger take anything away from the royalty of our Lord Jesus?  Not one little bit.  Would Jesus have been any more of a valuable gift to the world had He been born into a plush, lovely nursery surrounded by handmaids caring for Him?  Not at all.

And yet, we continue to think that the more expensive our earthly "trappings", the more valuable our home, the more lovely our surroundings...these have to indicate the person's value as well.  That certainly wasn't the case for Jesus...it certainly doesn't seem to be the picture that God wanted us to see of how He views things.

It seems the very first lesson we are taught by God through the incarnation of His Son is that our earthly circumstances are pretty much meaningless in God's view.  If it wasn't necessary for His Son to live in earthly grandeur while He was in our midst, then it just must not matter that much!

A manger...yes, a manger.  Good enough for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  All that we see will pass away...whether a manger or a mansion.  Most of us find ourselves somewhere in between. Wherever we are, it is enough.  It is where we are living out this small bit of eternity...our earth story.

Here was the beginning of Christ's earth story.  You will find Him in a manger.

The mansion comes later.

Are you with me in this....again?

When I realized this week that it was five years ago that I established this blog with the intent of utilizing it as a tool for Scripture memorization, I was saddened that, after numerous attempts to refocus, I had stopped the blog completely about a year and a half ago...short of completion of the 100 memory verses that was the goal.  (And, if you were "traveling" with me on that previous journey, also just short of the completion of the analogy we were using of hiking the Applachian Trail!)  We were close, very close!  We were on Verse 95 out of the 100....and we had already reached Maine, the last state of the hike.  WHO abandons a journey when you're that close to the finish line????

So, we're going to finish this journey...and then, hopefully, start another one!  In the five years since I started before, so much has happened.  So much in our family, I'm sure so much in yours, and so much in our world.  For us, personally, we have had much sadness in the past five years.  It has been a time of being forced to remember that although we have every assurance from God that He loves us greatly, and that we have wonderful eternal promises, that life this side of heaven is filled with heartbreak.  These five years have brought to our family the loss of a son, a brother-in-law and two brothers, along with numerous friends.  One of the offsets of the blessing of living longer is that you have to suffer through the deaths of those around you, some expected, some very unexpected.  How do we continue to go through life with any degree of joy when we are forced to face such sadness, over and over again?

We can answer that question with all kinds of Christian platitudes.  "Only with faith"..."Only with a good church family"..."Only by knowing that we'll be reunited with our family again."...but I see people with no faith, no church, and noeternal  belief system rebound from tragedy, sometimes seemingly just as well as those who have deeply held convictions of God and His promises.  How does that happen?

I guess that's what you might say I've been doing the past 1.5 years...rebounding. Not all of the time in the way that I would have thought I would as a "faithful Christian." I look back and know that I have "rebounded" not through my faith, not through my church, not through my vision of heavenly family waiting for me...I have" rebounded" only because of God's faithfulness to me.  If it had depended on my faith, I would have been in trouble...because at times my faith was no more than the proverbial mustard seed.  But that mustard seed is still all it takes to allow God to move mountains, and He has moved some out of the way on my behalf.

Psalm 118:13-17
I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.  Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”  I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

So, yes, the unbeliever may rebound in an apparently comparable fashion.  They may be going on with life in a semi-positive manner, and telling others that you just have to put some things behind you and go on.  

But I dare to say that the comparison ends when you ask both of us if we have anything to PROCLAIM about our experiences that actually brings us a sense of joy as we proclaim it.

I get to PROCLAIM that I wasn't the rebounder...that my God lifted me up, pulled me out of the pit, and placed my feet on solid ground.  I get to look back and KNOW that God was with me every day, that His right hand was holding on to me and doing mighty things.  I get to PROCLAIM that God is faithful and true.  I get to PROCLAIM with joy in my heart that my Lord has done mighty things!

So I began 2016 with this word in my heart...PROCLAIM!  And now, here it is February 26, 2016, and I'm getting ready to start proclaiming.  Proclaiming His love and His great faithfulness to me. Proclaiming that His promises ARE trustworthy and His provision IS assured.  Proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ - His perfect life, His atoning death, His powerful resurrection, His triumphant ascension, and His assured return!  

I'm asking you to join with me to confidently PROCLAIM our God and His power in our lives.  We will do this by first completing our 100 verses...and then continuing on together.  I want to encourage you to PROCLAIM your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior at every opportunity.  As I said in the beginning, the past five years have brought much change, and our world has changed too.  We find our world crying out for us to bring the Gospel to all of those dying to hear God's words of love and salvation.  As believers, it is our calling and our Christian duty not to neglect this overwhelming need to hear the proclamation!

There is still grief to bear...there is still sadness.  There will be other things come in life that will be hard, but I believe God has taught me through this time not to expect this life to be without disappointment, heartache and....death.  But these things will not catch me as off guard and the enemy will not disarm me again in the way he has done before.  I know I have a God who defends me, who upholds me and who does mighty, mighty things!  He is my God, and I will PROCLAIM His mighty name!