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| HOUSE OF SEALTHIEL - CONSTRUCTION December 18, 2019 |
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife
into your home."
MATTHEW 1:20
Let us not be afraid to accept God’s purpose for our lives. God is with us, and He gives us His peace, which surpasses all understanding. He also gives us His strength, help, and protection, which enable us to overcome any difficulties or fears. He invites us to accept His gifts and trust in His promises. God says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10)
Do not be afraid to follow the Lord wherever He leads. He knows the way and He has a plan for your life. He will never leave you nor forsake you, He is faithful and true. He will guide you with His eye and His word, He is your light.
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)
Jesus is the name above all names because He is the Son of God, who came to earth as a human being, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the dead. He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, who has all authority in heaven and on earth. He is the Savior of the world, who offers eternal life to all who believe in him. He is the Prince of Peace, who gives us His peace that surpasses all understanding. He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Holy One, the Lamb of God, the Word of God, the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, the True Vine, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Do not be afraid to follow the Lord wherever He leads. He will bless you and use you, He is your purpose and your reward. He will love you and delight in you, He is your Father and your friend. He will transform you and glorify you, He is your Lord and your King.
Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: “The Lord our justice.” Therefore, the days will come, says the Lord, when they shall no longer say, “As the Lord lives, who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt”; but rather, “As the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north” and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own land. (Jeremiah 23:5-8)
God values our obedience and integrity more than our religious rituals or offerings. He wants us to act with fairness and kindness towards others, especially the poor and the oppressed. To do what is right and just is pleasing to the Lord above more than the smoke of sacrifice. He wants our hearts to show His love. To do what is right and just is how we honor and obey the One who gave His life for us and calls us to follow His way.
Do not be afraid to follow the Lord wherever He leads. He will provide for you and protect you, He is your shepherd and your shield. He will comfort you and strengthen you, He is your peace and your joy. He will heal you and restore you, He is your hope and your salvation
O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; He shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous deeds. And blessed forever be his glorious name; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. (Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19)
Lord Jesus, I will follow You wherever You go. You are the way, the truth, and the life, You are my Lord and my God. You have called me by name, You have chosen me as Your own. You have loved me with an everlasting love, You have died for me on the cross
Lord Jesus, I will follow You wherever You go. You are the king, the priest, and the prophet, You are my leader and my teacher. You have given me Your authority, You have anointed me with Your gifts. You have spoken to me Your promises, You have revealed to me Your will
Lord Jesus, I will follow You wherever You go. You are the alpha, the omega, and the amen, You are my beginning and my end. You have created me in Your image, You have redeemed me by Your grace. You have prepared a place for me, You will come again for me.
Pericope:
I: The Infancy Narrative
THE BIRTH OF JESUS
Matthew 1:18-25
III: Oracles in the Last Years of Jerusalem
MESSIANIC REIGN
Jeremiah 23:1-8
Second Book of Psalms 42-72
A PRAYER FOR THE KING
Psalm 72:1-20