Triplets of Spirit: Know, Seek, Find

Art by The Catholic Guy 2012

In God we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17: 28). We depend on Him completely for our very existence, whether we are unsaved (natural man), saved and yielded to the Holy Spirit (spiritual man), or saved but serving our own fleshly desires (carnal man; Romans 8:5-14; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 3:1).

These planes of being determine our eternal destiny: hell for the unsaved or natural man; Heaven with rewards for the spiritual man; and Heaven but with loss of rewards for the carnal man. But praise God, He does not want any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). He designed us in His image (Genesis 1:26) to want to know Him, to look for Him, and to find Him (Acts 17: 27).

That is why life before we were in Christ felt so empty, and why we continually looked for comfort in false religions (Jeremiah 7:9), humanistic philosophies (Colossians 2:8), and modern-day idols (Leviticus 26:1; 2 Kings 17:12; 1 Chronicles 16:26; etc.) such as money (1 Timothy 6:10), power, and substance abuse (Proverbs 20:1). But God made us, and we cannot ourselves make gods of gold, silver, or stone and expect them to have any power (Acts 17: 29; Habakkuk 2:19).

The day is coming when God will judge all those who misplaced their faith in false idols, rejecting His Son Whom God ordained and of Whom He gave proof to all men by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17: 31).

Before we were saved by placing our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we were children of the devil. Our spirit reflected the nature of Satan, who then was our spiritual father (John 8:44). But once we were saved, we were born again (John 3:3-8) as children of God (1 John 3:1), our spirit progressively shaped into His image during our earthly journey (Romans 12:2).

While we were still lost, we were dead in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:22), but when we are born again, He “quickens” us, or makes us alive (John 5:21; 6:63; Romans 4:17; 8:11), to walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:1,4; Galatians 5:16,25), as a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

When we are born again, He elevates us to a new plane of being. We are then born not of blood (for it is a spiritual and not a physical rebirth), nor of the will of the flesh or of man (for we are no longer motivated solely by our own desires), but of God (John 1:13). He gave us physical life; He gave us Spirit-filled life as we were born again; and He will make us perfectly into His image in our glorified bodies that we receive at the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:38-54).

Jesus said that we are to live or abide in Him, like the branches live on the vine, so that we can bear fruit and receive His blessings through prayer. If we abide in His love, we will love one another, and our joy in Him will be full (John 15:5-17).

God created each of us as a unique life (1 Peter 4:19), which we should offer back to Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). He sustains us with what we need to survive, grow and thrive through our earthly life (Psalm 55:22; 3:5), and He redeemed us from our sins to reconcile us to His Holy Self (Job 19:25; Psalm 19:14; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

We should now move for His glory, not our own, as we go, baptize, and teach all nations (Matthew 28:19). We should now use our mouths not for idle words (Matthew 12:36), but to praise (Psalm 150:6; etc.), thank (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20), and pray to Him (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

 Our thoughts, words and deeds should encourage (Romans 12:15), exhort (Hebrews 3:13), and edify fellow believers (Romans 14:19; 15:2), for we have become His witnesses (Acts 1:8), colaborers (1 Corinthians 3:9), and ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).

As we move in Him, He empowers us as soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3-4) to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12); as athletes (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) to run with patience the race that He set before us (Hebrews 12:1); and as victors through Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57) to finish the course (2 Timothy 4:7). Whatever we do should be in the name of our Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him (Colossians 3:17).

When we have our being in Him, our personhood is in His image. Our identity is now as God’s child (1 John 3:1), friend to Jesus (John 15:14), and Christ’s bride as a member of His church (Ephesians 5:23-32). In this status we have forgiveness of sins (justification; Romans 5:18), abundant life (sanctification; John 10:10; 1 Corinthians 1:30), and eternal life (glorification; John 3:16; Romans 8:17, 30).

As joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), we share in His inheritance, we receive a new name (Revelation 2:17), and He is preparing a mansion (John 14:2) for each of us! We even have a new address: in heavenly places with Christ during this life (Ephesians 1:3), present with the Lord in Heaven after physical death (2 Corinthians 5:8), and in the New Jerusalem throughout eternity (Revelation 21:2).

Praise God that in Him we live, move, and have our being! May we embrace new life as we are born again, be Spirit-moved as He guides our actions, and rest in our new identity in Him!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives 

Old Testament Worship: Honoring The Trinity

  

    

Photo of Ark replica by Ben Schumin 2007

God is a Triune Being – God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All of His creation reflects His three-part nature, and the attributes of God the Father and names of Jesus also echo their three-fold Divinity. 

Not surprisingly, God designed our worship of Him to praise and to celebrate the three facets of His Being, beginning in the Old Testament, and continuing through the New Testament and into the future.

The benediction given by God for Aaron to speak unto the Hebrew people used the name of Jehovah (the LORD) three times, each with a different blessing:

Numbers 6: 24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 
26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Another Old Testament type, or precursor, to the ultimate worship believers will experience in Heaven appears in the Tabernacle that God instructed Moses to build as the place of worship (Exodus 25). He ordered Moses to collect from the people the materials for the Tabernacle as an offering to Him: three fine metals (gold, and silver, and brass, v.3); fine linen (made from the hemp plant) in three colors (blue, purple, and scarlet, v.4) and coverings of three animals (goats' hair, rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, v.5). These offerings represent the Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal categories of His creation over which He gave man dominion (Genesis 1:26-28).

The holiest place in the Tabernacle was the most holy (Exodus 26:33), or Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum approached only by the high priest, and only once each year, to make an offering to atone for the sins of the people. This atonement for sin by the shed blood of a sacrificed animal foreshadows the ultimate atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, once and for all, as the perfect, sinless sacrifice to pay for all our sins, past, present and future (Hebrews 9:11-15).

Within the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant, with the finest gold overlaying shittim wood (Exodus 25:10-22) to symbolize the mystery of Christ in His divinity becoming human flesh (Isaiah 9:6; John 1:14). The ark contained three items (Hebrews 9:4): the stone tables on which God engraved His law to give to Moses (Exodus 25:16, 22); the golden pot containing manna (Exodus 16:33-34) that God provided to feed the Israelites on their journey through the desert to find the Promised Land; and the rod of Aaron that budded forth with almond blossoms (Numbers 17:10), symbolizing purity and eternal life.

Thus, these three items symbolize God’s judgment in His Ten Commandments that no one (except for Jesus) can keep perfectly (Romans 3:23); God’s sustenance and provision for all our needs (Ephesians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 9:10-12); and God’s reconciliation with sinful man through His Son (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Hebrews 2:17). Through Jesus’ sinless sacrifice, His perfect righteousness is attributed to our account (Romans 4:22-24), allowing us eternal life with Him in Heaven.

Moving outward from the Holy of Holies was the sanctuary, or holy place, containing three pieces of furniture: the table of shewbread (Exodus 25:23-30), the lampstand (Exodus 25:23-31), and the altar of incense (Exodus 30:1-10). In Hebrew, the word for “shewbread” means "bread of the face of the Lord," foreshadowing Jesus as the bread of life (John 6), the only sustenance the believer needs. The loaves of shewbread were set before God for one week before the priests were allowed to eat of it, suggesting that worship should come before fulfilling our daily needs (Matthew 6:33).

The lampstand, which later symbolizes the church (Revelation 1:12-20) was the only source of light in the holy place, just as Jesus Christ will be the only source of light in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23). The altar of incense symbolizes the prayers of men rising as a sweet-smelling savour to God, as an act of worshipping Him (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3-4).

Like the Tabernacle, the Temple was also designed by God in three parts: the outer Court surrounding the Holy Place, and the innermost Sanctuary or Holy of Holies), with the Holy of Holies in the shape of a cube of three equal dimensions (1 Kings 7).

God prescribed and ordained not only these places and articles of worship, but also times and holy days of worship. These were needed before the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins reconciled sinful man to Holy God, allowing believers instant, continual access into His Presence. Praise God that we may now enter boldly unto the throne of grace! (Hebrews 4:16)

© 2012 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Lights

Photo by Kristof Zerbe 2014

To cap off the holiday season, my family and I recently visited Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Tampa. While exploring all the animal exhibits, walking through the festively decorated park, and watching the entertaining shows, we were eagerly anticipating sunset, when the park’s main holiday attraction would come to life.

Lights! As we had learned from the trivia quiz preceding the ice show, workers began stringing lights from trees, archways, and buildings starting in June! Good thing, because there were more than 3 million lights, covering 60 miles if lined up end to end!

Our viewing of lights began auspiciously with the Serengeti Light Show, a spectacular display on a huge tree-shaped screen and on the neighboring buildings of what seemed like hundreds of thousands of lights, all changing colors and patterns in synchrony to Christmas music. Impressed and delighted, we were ready for more!

With all the exercise from exploring throughout the day, we had also worked up quite an appetite! So we began the long trek to Christmas Town, not only to view the lights but to sample the delectable treats from various food vendors that opened only after dark.

But as we approached the entrance, the path grew dim, and we wondered what had happened to all the lights we had been promised. The main gate to Christmas Town had been barred shut, and a park officer informed us that it would be closed all evening because of a power outage!

Disappointed, we made our way back to the tram taking us to the parking lot. As we walked to our car, however, we were unexpectedly blessed to see the true star of the show – the moon!

On that night was a supermoon, also known as a Wolf Moon, which was particularly large due to the moon illusion, in which low-hanging moons appear oversized. It was veiled in wispy clouds that gave it a silvery aura, with the moon’s familiar landmarks alternately highlighted or shrouded, depending on how the clouds danced in the changing winds.

The experience reminded me that all of man’s efforts pale in comparison to God’s majesty, creativity, power and handiwork (Psalm 19:1). Because we are made in His image (Genesis 1:26), we too are creative and productive, with feats of ingenuity producing artificial beauty like that in the light show.

But none of this is possible unless God allows it, for without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Because we live in a sin-cursed world (Genesis 3:14-19), all it takes is a switch malfunction or tripped circuit breaker or some other mechanical failure for all of man’s brilliant ideas and hard work to malfunction. Often the failure stems from our own mind, body, or will (Psalm 73:26).

But God never fails (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 23:14). He consistently and faithfully regulates the rising and setting of the sun and moon, the circling of the planets in their orbits, and the movements of the stars and galaxies across the universe (Psalm 19:1-6; 104). That night, sadly invisible to us because of the clouds, the supermoon was accompanied by a particularly luminous planet Jupiter and the constellation Orion, which would have been a spectacular celestial display under better viewing conditions.

Even though we couldn’t see Jupiter and Orion, we knew that God had placed them there. Because we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), we know He is working all things together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28), even when we can’t see the road map or the destination of the journey He has planned for us since before time began (2 Timothy 1:9). It is enough to hear His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12) guiding our next step, just as He did for Abram when he took the first step of faith to the Promised Land (Genesis 12:1-3).

The moon’s brilliant illumination that night also reminded me that we have no life or light of our own, but only that which God has given us (John 1:1-9). The moon itself is a mass of stone cold, dark rock. But when the sun sets and shines on it, sunlight reflected from the moon lights up the dark night.

Only Jesus Christ is the true Light (John 1:9), the Light of the World (John 8:12; 9:5). Once we are saved by trusting in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), He gives us the privilege of being His lights in this dark, sin-cursed world (Matthew 5:14).

May His light in and on us shine so brightly before men that they can see the true Light and find the Way to His saving grace and to eternal life!

Copyright 2026 Laurie Collett

Ending or Beginning?

 

Photo by Tulumnes 2013

New Year’s Eve and its celebrations are a great reminder that any ending always leads to a new beginning. During the countdown of the last moments of 2025, we thanked God for His blessings, provision and protection throughout the year, and also for His giving us a fresh start in 2026. As His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), we can begin every morning and every year with renewed hope that He will continue the good work He began in us (Philippians 1:6).

The cycle of beginning and ending permeates our lives. The sun sets on one day and rises again the next (Matthew 5:45). We may end our term in high school and begin college. We may leave one job or ministry and begin another, ideally in response to God’s direction rather than in rebellion against it. As Clive Staples Lewis, British author of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” wrote, “There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

God created many wonderful examples of how an apparent ending leads to a new beginning. A plant dies and goes to seed, but the apparently lifeless seed germinates and gives rise to a new plant (1 Corinthians 15:36-38). A lowly, earthbound caterpillar encases itself in a chrysalis and secretes enzymes that completely liquefy itself. Yet from that biochemical soup a butterfly forms, eventually struggling to break free from its shroud and emerge in a brilliant burst of color and flight. A baby ends its nine months of silence in the darkness and security of the womb with a triumphant (or outraged?) cry heralding its physical birth (John 16:21).

Even the musical scale ends on the same note with which the next octave begins. Christ Himself is the Beginning and the Ending, the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last (Revelation 1:8,11; 21:6; 22:13). He is the self-existent great I AM Who existed in eternity past since before time began (John 8:58), and Who will live and reign throughout eternity future as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).

His death on the cross to pay for our sins (Romans 3:25) was the essential ending to His earthly life so that He could rise again, becoming the firstborn with a glorified body (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23), so that all who trust Him will also live forever (John 3:16). The destruction of most life on earth with the great flood in Noah’s day led to a cleansed, renewed planet populated by the remnant of faithful Noah and his family, and by the creatures God commanded him to bring into the ark (Genesis 7-10).

One day, after the Great Tribulation and Battle of Armageddon in which Jesus Christ will defeat the enemies of Israel, Satan, sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:24-28), the heavens and earth will burn up with a fervent heat (2 Peter 3:10), giving way to the new heavens and new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13) where Jesus Christ will reign forever in the Heavenly City (Revelation 21:1-5; Hebrews 11:16; 12:22).

What are the endings we must face on our way to the New Jerusalem? The first is that we must come to the end of ourselves. Only when we realize that we are sinners, doomed to hell, with no merit or power of our own to save us (Romans 3:23), can we realize that we need a Savior, turn to Him for forgiveness, repent of our sins, and ask Him to save us and enter our heart as Lord of our new life (1 John 1:9; Revelation 3:20; Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6).

Then we are born again, beginning a new life in the family of God (John 3:5-8). No longer are we His enemies and children of the devil, for now we are God’s children (1 John 3:10), joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), part of His body the church (Colossians 1:18,24), betrothed to our Bridegroom (Isaiah 61:10), and ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and co-laborers with Him in the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 3:9). Our first step of obedience should be believer’s baptism, or water immersion, symbolizing our identification with His death, burial and resurrection (Matthew 28:19).

Like the unsaved, born-again believers experience physical death, unless they are still alive when Christ returns for his children. Nothing on this earth seems like a more final ending than death, but for the child of God, it is the beginning of new life with Jesus Christ and fellow believers. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). We will experience that joy forever, for we received the gift of eternal life the moment we were saved by faith (John 3:16).

Even those who are living when Christ returns will experience the end of life in their physical body. But what a glorious new beginning! At the Rapture, our aging, frail, limited earthly bodies will be instantly transformed into glorified bodies like that of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:35-38). Sin, death, pain, sorrow, illness and aging shall be no more! In their place is eternal, abundant life (John 10:10) in a body without physical limitation, and with the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), for we shall know Him as He now knows us (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Then we shall live forever in a mansion He has uniquely designed for each of us (John 14:1-3), in the Heavenly City so resplendent that it defies physical description (Revelation 21:10-27). We shall have infinite time to enjoy Him and our loved ones in Him, the beauty of our surroundings, the fulfillment of worshiping Him in complete surrender using the talents and gifts He gave us, and the purpose and productivity of meaningful work uniquely suited to our abilities and personality.

So let us not fear or regret any earthly ending, but instead let us joyously anticipate the next beginning He has planned for us, and ultimately the blessed, living hope of the Rapture and eternal life with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!   

Copyright 2026 Laurie Collett  

Three, Two, One! Happy New Year!

 

Photo by Shamli071 2011

 This New Year’s Eve, many will be gathered in person, or around their screens, to watch the ball drop in Times Square or elsewhere as the host counts down “Three! Two! One!” coordinated with the stroke of midnight, fireworks lighting up the sky, and the plummeting ball designating the start of 2026, a brand new year!

It is a blessing that God gives us “reset buttons” like these – the start of a new year, month, or day; the anniversary of our birth, marriage, or second birth (John 3:3-8) when we got saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). These fresh starts remind us of His mercies, which are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and His forgiveness of our sins, if we sincerely ask Him to forgive (1 John 1:9).

But 3-2-1 can also signify the start of a race, with three counts until the starter’s pistol. Just as the crouched sprinter leaps into action, may we be ready to charge forth and run with determination and patience the race God has set before us (1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1), once He gives the clear signal.

Or consider a momentous event, like a space launch. Years of preparation, design, planning, and expense culminating in a single burst of power, opening new frontiers for exploration and discovery. When we hear that countdown to blastoff, we realize that in that instant, the world is propelled to new horizons. Similarly, the urging we hear as the Holy Spirit moves in our hearts may mean that our years of faithful service are about to open a new door as He invites us to cross the threshold into a new field of ministry (Galatians 4:6).

Celebrities giving interviews or performing on television or radio are also informed of minutes, then seconds, then 3-2-1 before the broadcast goes live. They may have already been there for hours in wardrobe and makeup, which may seem to them like “hurry up and wait.” But they must wait for their cue to begin their message if they wish to reach viewers and listeners around the world.

Timing is key on air and in life, and we must remember to wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14; 33:20; 37:7-9; 34), and His perfect timing, before we speak or act on His behalf. With the Lord, one day may seem as a thousand years, or vice versa (2 Peter 3:8), but that is beyond our understanding (Job 42:3; Psalm 139:6). All we need to do is to be instant in season, out of season (2 Timothy 4:2), and to respond to and obey His call when He gives clear direction.

Sometimes it seems that the passing of time slows to glacial speed – like when we’re at the dentist, and he cheerfully announces that the humongous needle he’s holding will enter our jaw on the backward count of three. Yet other times, particularly when we’re caught up in something we’re passionate about, time races along at breakneck speed. Except for the very young, we’ve all experienced how each passing year seems to race by more quickly the older we get.

Perhaps that’s because we become more aware that a life is but a vapor, vanishing before our eyes like the breath escaping our nose on a wintry day (James 4:14). One day our life on earth will end (Hebrews 9:27), and it is unlikely that we will know that only seconds remain.

Lately I find myself longing for time to advance to the point when time will be no more – when God’s children shall without warning or countdown hear the trumpet call (Matthew 24:31). In a twinkling of an eye – faster than we could imagine – we shall be transformed into our glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:52) and be transported to Heaven, where we shall forever be with the Lord and our loved ones in Him!

Could 2026 be the year of the Rapture? No man knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36; 25:13), but all the signs are in place. We know for certain that Christ will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16), and that the Rapture is one day closer today than it was yesterday. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

© 2022 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

The Christmas Star

 

Image uploaded from https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p091mqb1

During the 2020 Christmas season, ending a year like no other, the world  experienced a celestial event not seen for nearly 800 years, and first seen during the first coming of Jesus Christ more than two millennia ago.

That event was the Christmas Star, an unusual cross-shaped “star,” which is actually the conjunction of two planets, Jupiter and Saturn. As they moved closer to one another and appeared to cross each other’s path (while still more than a billion miles apart), our human eyes interpreted the image as a single bright orb at the intersection of two perpendicular beams, the longer of which is aligned vertically and the shorter aligned horizontally, forming a cross.

Scripture tells us that wise men seeking the prophesied King and Messiah followed this “star,” which guided their path (Matthew 2:1-2) until it came to rest over the house in Egypt where the young child Jesus lived with His parents (Matthew 2:9-11). They had fled from Israel where the jealous, cruel and insecure King Herod had ordered the death of all male infants, as he believed that one of them would grow up to steal his throne ((Matthew 2:13-16).

How amazing that this guiding light took the form of a cross, signifying that Lord Jesus Christ came to die. The perfect, sinless Son of God (Hebrews 4:15) took on human flesh (John 1:14) and entered our world as a frail newborn, to grow to manhood not only to be a great Teacher, Prophet (Matthew 16:14) and Healer (John 3:2), but to die an agonizing death on the cross (Matthew 26:2). Other symbols foreshadowing His death were the swaddling clothes (Luke 2:7), similar to strips of gauze used to wrap a corpse for burial, and the gift of myrrh brought by one of the wise men (Matthew 2:11), also used for anointing the dead (John 19:39).

Only through this extreme punishment of crucifixion, entailing not only physical but emotional suffering from rejection by His chosen people (Mark 15:13), betrayal by His closest followers (Luke 22:33-34), and separation from His Heavenly Father (Matthew 27:46), could the Lamb of God pay our sin debt in full (John 1:29). Thanks to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross (Hebrews 10:10), all who trust in that sacrifice as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6) are guaranteed eternal life with Him there, and with all our loved ones in Him.

So why did the Christmas Star reappear two millennia after Christ's birth? Only God knows the answer, but it clearly seems to be a reminder of Christ’s first advent as Savior. God then showed His infinite love by sending His only begotten Son to die and rise again from the dead, so that all who trust Him would have eternal life (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

In today’s world of pandemics, chaos and division, such a reminder is so sorely needed as a shining glimmer of hope, of assurance that God loves us (1 John 4:8) and has a plan, even though we often fail to understand it. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), and He works all things together for good for those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Even those who are unsaved are seeking understanding and peace in these troubled times. Might the Christmas Star remind us to be a light in the lost, dark world (Matthew 5:14), and to use this heavenly phenomenon to draw others closer to Jesus Christ through our witness?

How interesting that the 2020 Christmas Star shone most brightly on December 21, which marks the winter solstice, or shortest day of the year. In the church calendar, this date traditionally honors John the Baptist, who realized that he must decrease in importance and leadership as Jesus Christ increased (John 3:30). We would do well to follow his perspective in our own lives, seeking not our own self-glorification, but Christ’s preeminence (Colossians 1:18).

The Christmas Star was most visible shortly after sunset, perhaps as a sign that the light of Christ, the Morning Star (Revelation 22:16), shines most brightly in the darkness, when the new light of dawn still seems so far away.

Yet the signs of the times (Matthew 24) clearly herald the Lord’s soon return, His second advent not as the suffering Savior, but as the righteous Judge (Revelation 19:11) and triumphant King of Kings (Revelation 17:14) and Lord of Lords! The first Christmas Star announced the first advent of Jesus Christ as a babe in the manger – might its return herald Christ’s second advent?

Jesus Christ indicated that among other signs of His soon return, there would be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. In 2025, there were two solar eclipses, two lunar eclipses, and  three supermoons. Other signs of the End Times include great dismay among the nations (Luke 21:25), wars and rumors of wars, famine, plagues, earthquakes, false prophets, Christian persecution, and lack of natural affection, which is so evident in all the domestic violence and hate crimes that populate the news of today (Matthew 24:6-12). 

Only the Father knows the day and the hour of the first phase of the second advent (Mark 13:30-33), namely Christ’s return for His children, calling them up in the Rapture, to meet with Him in the air and to live with Him forever (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

Might the Christmas Star also be a reminder to look up (Luke 21:28), as the final stage of our redemption draws near?

© 2020 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded, and reposted from the archives

Fear Not! Have Faith In God’s Great Power

 

The Bible shows us that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. This is especially true surrounding the birth of Christ. We can take heart from the example of those involved in Christ’s birth that if God calls us on a special mission, we need not fear. Instead, we must have faith in His infinite power, which is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians.12:9). Without Him, we can do nothing, but with Him, all things are possible (John 15:5; Mark 10:27).

Sometimes He lets us go through trials, tribulations, doubts and fears to realize how completely we depend on Him (Philippians 4:13). If we stop depending on our flesh and turn it all over to Him, resting in His grace, His power, and His will, He will use us to accomplish great things to His glory (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). But if we are fearful or doubtful, that is a sin for which He must chastise us, for without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

As born-again believers, having placed our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we have no reason to fear. God is always with us (Hebrews 13:5), protecting us from all our enemies, physical and spiritual (Romans 8:31). He has won the victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:57); He prepares us for the battle; and our home is with Him in Heaven (Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 10:25; Isaiah 41:10; Joel 2:21).

In Scripture, God said “Fear not” to those He had called on a special mission for which it would be natural to be afraid in the flesh. Usually these words are spoken by an angel, or sometimes by God Himself, as when God promised to make Abram the father of a very great nation (Genesis 15:1), and to spare Ishmael’s life and to make him the father of a rival nation (Genesis 21:17).

In the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, angels appeared to several of those most involved -- Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds -- and told them to “Fear not!” It is a natural reaction to fear in the presence of one whom we recognize to be an angel, for they are holy and we are not, and we may fear bad news, punishment or even imminent death.

Like Abraham and Sarah, Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth had been faithful to obey and serve God, yet they had no children. Having no child in those days was a great cause for sorrow and grief, as there was no heir -- no one to carry on Zacharias’s calling as a high priest. Women were defined by their role in raising children, and every Hebrew woman in that day dreamed of being the one who would give birth to the promised Messiah (Isaiah 9: 2,6-7).

The angel appeared to Zacharias while he was alone in the Holy of Holies performing his priestly duties, and told him to “Fear not.”  At a very old age, Elisabeth would give birth to John the Baptist (Luke 1: 5-13) to show the way to Christ. How often might angels be around us, trying to tell us something or asking us to do something for God, or even ministering to us, without our being aware of it?  (Hebrews 1:14).

Even though the angel brings good news, Zacharias is afraid, which is the typical reaction of those recorded in Scripture as being visited by angels. These messengers of God reflect His holiness and command respect and fear of the Lord by sinful man.

Zacharias had not been afraid to pray for what seemed impossible in the natural, and God answered that prayer far beyond what they could imagine. Not only would they have a son, but one who was highly respected by Jesus the Messiah Himself (Matthew 11:11).and who would turn many to the Lord (Luke 1:16)

If we have faith, He always answers our prayers beyond our wildest dreams! (Luke 1:14-15; Ephesians 3:20). Zacharias and Elisabeth are a perfect example of never losing hope, never stopping to pray the prayer that is most dear to your heart even though it seems God doesn’t hear it, because He will do what is best in His perfect timing. The special blessing God gave this couple echoes His fulfilled promise to Abraham and Sarah, who were old and barren and yet parented a very special child: Isaac, who became the progenitor of the great nation of Israel.

The angel said that Zacharias and Elisabeth’ son John would be filled with the Holy Spirit even before birth (Luke 1:15). Killing an unborn child is therefore murder, because John’s body was already the temple of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) even before he was born.

John’s abstaining totally from alcohol and being great in the Lord’s sight are mentioned together (John 11:11,18), as a result of him being filled with the Holy Spirit even before birth. Alcohol and the Holy Spirit don’t mix, as you can’t be Spirit-filled and drinking alcohol at the same time (Ephesians 5:18).

John’s role would be that of a prophet, calling God’s people to repentance and obedience, to soften their hearts to hear Christ’s message (Luke 1:16-17). Because he was Spirit-filled, he was a great soul-winner.

Despite Zacharias’ lifetime of priestly service, and being described as “blameless,” he doubts the angel’s news of John’s birth. He lacks the faith to accept that God can accomplish this miracle in His perfect timing (v. 18).   

Because of Zacharias’ unbelief, the angel Gabriel told him that he would be mute until the birth, as if God would prevent him from voicing his unbelief (v.19-20), and also to strengthen his faith. But even without speech he was able to be a testimony of God’s goodness and power (v. 21-22).

His time as a priest was now over, and he turned his full attention to God’s new direction for his life (v. 23). We need to be responsive to God’s will and recognize when He has a new plan for our life, even if it means giving up a ministry or position of honor.

God’s promise, delivered through the angel Gabriel, came to pass and Elisabeth became pregnant (v. 24). She hid herself for five months (v. 25), perhaps because she wanted to be alone with God to meditate on His goodness, to thank Him, to worship Him, and to seek His direction for her new role as mother of John the Baptist.

When God says “Fear not,” we can trust Him to equip us for the mission He has given us and have faith that He will keep His promises!

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives