This One shall be their peace 

Micah 5:5

The Lord Our Peace (Jehovah Shalom—Judges 6:4) is come and will come again.  The God of Peace be with you (Rom 15:33, 16:20; Phil 4:9; 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 13:20
 

Hurried and harried, Christmas can leave us blurried, flurried, and be-frazzled.  Be still and meditate on this: on “Cease striving and know that I Am God.”

Christmas can stir up things from the past and present.  Let the peace of God rule in your hearts as the guardian of your minds.

When rest and peace will not come, we come to Christ.
I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.  But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.  There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.  Isa 57:19-21 ASV

Christ bore the “dis-ease” of all our sins.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  Isa 53:5-6 ASV

Speak the truth in love with one another: Eph 4, Col: 3
Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.  Ps 85:10 NKJV

Be thankful:  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Col 3:15

Meditate in Christ:  You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  Isa 26:3 NKJV

Meditate to keep His commands:  Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.  Psalms 119:165 NIV

Angels we have heard: 

He shall come with heaven’s Angels

The most angel activity recorded in history is around the birth of Christ.  Eight angel messages: to old and young, to Jew and Gentile.  In addition to other recorded events, we read that the Holy Spirit caused the baby John to leap in Elizabeth’s womb, in response to Mary’s greeting (Lk 1:41-44).  Then the Holy Spirit directed Simeon and Anna to the temple to see the newborn    Messiah (Luke 2:26-35, 36-38).  Finally, we have the miraculous star guiding wise men from afar (Matt 2:1-2).

In past revivals and current visitations, there have been reports of angel activity, along with dreams, visions, and miraculous signs.  In Muslim and native villages, appearances of Jesus and angels open peoples’ hearts to believe and obey.  The Bible says we are in the last days (Acts 2:17), even the last hour (I John 2:18).  People are excited about angels and revelations, but not necessarily about obedience.

you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.  3 First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming?”  RSV 2 Peter 3:2-4

The issue for us is not whether we see angels or special signs, but that we prepare ourselves for his return, through the obedience of faith.

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.  45 ”Who then is the   faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?  46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.  NIV Matt 24:44-46

 Read these angels’ appearances and be encouraged that Christ is coming again, with all the angels of heaven (Matt 13 and 2 Thess 2:17)

Lk 1:11-21 Gabriel to Zacharias, that he and Elizabeth would have a son who would be the forerunner of Messiah.

Lk 1:26-38 Gabriel to Mary, Elizabeth’s cousin, announcing she would be the mother of Jesus.

Mt 1:20-24 an angel of the Lord to Joseph, saying to fear not to marry Mary, “for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

Lk 2:9-15 an angel of the Lord to the shepherds, announcing Jesus’ birth

Mt 2:12 God warns the three wise men not to return to Herod.

Mt 2:13 an angel of the Lord warns Joseph to flee from Herod to Egypt.

Mt 2:19 an angel of the Lord tells Joseph in a dream, “return to Israel.”

Mt 2:22 God tells Joseph again in a dream, turn aside to Galilee instead of Judea God still speaks today.  Angels watch and help wise men hear, worship and obey (Heb 1:7 and Psalm 104:4).






-PD

Old Testament Prophecies of Messiah
and their Fulfillment in the New Testament

This fulfilled the prophet’s prediction… Matt 2:15

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem…  Gal 4:4 NIV

    Each day this week I encourage you to read aloud from prophecies below, along with their fulfillment.  No other religion has the miracle of God’s Word.  Only the One, True, God of Gods, revealed His purposes through prophesy, then perfectly fulfilled them.  Faith comes by hearing the word.  Your faith will grow this Advent, as you believe, obey and fulfill the purposes of Messiah in your life.  In this way, we prepare for His second coming.  Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done.  Come, Lord Jesus.

Who:  Emmanuel, God with us—Is 7:14 & Lk 2:21
     Branch of Jesse: Gen 49:11; Is 11:1-2; Jer 23:15; Jn 15:1-2
     (Branch also means Nazarene, fulfilled in Matt 2:23)
     of the tribe of David: Ps 89:35; Lk 1:69, 2:11; Rev 22:16
     Lion of Judah, root of David: Gen 49:10 & Rev 5:5

Why:  He would come: Savior—Matt 1:21; Heb 2:9-17; 
     and Lord, bringing the kingdom of God Dan 7:13-14; Ps 110; Mt 4:17; Mt 28:18; Rev 5:10
     He would reign as Priest who saves: Zech 6:11-13;
     Heb 9:28; as Prophet bringing the Word of God: Deut 18:15; Matt 24; 
     and King of Kings, Prince of Peace: 2 Sam 7:12; Is 9:6-7; Mt 2:2; Heb 7:15-17

What He would do: To fulfill the covenant: Gen 3:15, 12:3, 17:7; Jer 31:31-34; 
     Heb 8:12-13, 9:14-15
     “It is written of me in the Book”: Ps 40:6-7; Heb 10:7
   
Where from:  Bethlehem: Micah 5:2-4; Luke 2:4
    Egypt: Hosea 11:1; Mt 2:15
    Nazareth: Is 11:1; Mt 2:23

How born:  Is 7:14-16; Lk 1:26-35; Jn 1:14

When: John: Is 40:3-5; Lk 3:1-6; Simeon: Lk 2:25-30

With what signs: In sky: Zech 9:9; Num 24:17; Mt 2:2
    In manger: Is 7:14; Lk 2:12; in terror: Jer 31:15; Mt 3:18


-PD