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The Shepherds had an amazing encounter with Angels, if this where to happen today, it would either become a “holy shrine” and be visited by “holy church dignitaries” or it could become a global meeting place for Christians wanting to encounter God.
The Shepherds didn’t stay at this place of visitation and as far as we know or did they return. The News announced to them was too great for them to stay with or return to seek out angels.
The world today marvel at the presence of angels among us some times even some Christians are in awe of angels among us. How pleasing this must be for the fallen angel Satan when God’s people are in awe of God’s created beings sent out to serve the church.
The Shepherds Got it so right, There is only One we should be in awe of, only One we should marvel over, The Saviour Jesus.
Perhaps we can learn from the actions of the Shepherds, supernatural encounters weather it be angelic or demonic they should only serve to encourage us to encounter Jesus.
The Shepherds response to this amazing angelic encounter;
Luke 2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
The angels didn’t tell them to go and find Jesus, they told them where and how to find Jesus, but the angels didn’t say to them “You Must Go” the News of the Jesus’ presences was too great for them to stay on hill side.
Can the News that Jesus is here at ECC be so great in our thinking/choices that we can’t stay away from the House of the Lord?
Psalm 122:1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Can we make the News of Jesus’ presence here at ECC so great that people around have just got to get here, just as the Shepherds did at the end of this account.
Isaiah 2:3 Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths."
The Shepherds only wanted to see “what the Lord has told us about” If any thing is worth leaving your hill side for it has to be what the Lord has told you about. They perhaps sacrificed their turn to sleep, or even their jobs.
Is there a hill side you need to leave to see what the Lord has told you is going to happen?
What has the Lord told us about ECC,
Jesus has told us, Matthew 18:20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." When we come to ECC remember God is here and make that what we want to see. This week can be better than last week.
Jesus has told us Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. When we come to ECC lets forget self reliance, and trust Jesus to build His Church and lets make that what we want to see.
Jesus has told us John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. When we come to ECC remember there is more.
The Shepherd had no regrets leaving that Hill side because they knew what God had told them about was better than what they were leaving behind.
At the end of a year people remember and regret certain events.
When comes to remembering remember it’s a memory good or bad its still a memory, the past can’t change your future only you and God can.
When it comes to regrets, I have many, at times I relive them, but I can’t change the past. Regrets remind us of what could have been or should have been, you still can’t change it. It is god’s desire that we live our lives not under the guilt of what should have or could have been BUT what CAN BE not may be but what CAN BE.
Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." Look at you future/sickness/ and say “with man this …..
Hear a lot today about the “Can Do” mentality from Barack Obama & Bob the Building, asking “can we fix it?” “YES we can” they say. I am not trusting in Bob or Barack.
Can God Do it? Can God Fix it? YES HE CAN.
Can God save souls in 2009, bring back the periodicals in 2009, heal body and mind in 2009, provide in 2009, protect from unseen dangers in 2009, pour out his Spirit in 2009. YES HE CAN.
