Ask -Matthew 7:7-8

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Now, we have to be careful and remember that this promise doesn't necessarily mean we will get whatever what we want if we pray for it. The Book of James reminds us:

"You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4:3)

Being a son of God -Matthew 5:9

"Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God."

Pure in Heart? -Matthew 5:8

"Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God."

Ouch. If it ended with this, then I would definitely not be seeing God. I like how the verse says the pure "in heart", taking it deeper than just our outward actions, but the motive behind our actions...where does our heart truly lie?

I'm thankful that my purity isn't from me, but that it's only through Christ that I'm considered pure... His purity was given to me when He died on the cross...He payed the penalty for my sin and His righteousness was imputed to me!

We serve a great God!

Hunger and Thirst -Matthew 5:6

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled."

Are we, as Christians, truly pursuing Christ? Are we trying to become more like Christ?

Bethlehem of Judah -Matthew 2:1-6

I sorta already posted this promise (on my "Born in Bethlehem" post), but these are some new verses, where we have the prophecy from Micah 5 actually referenced in Matthew.

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Now why does this matter? Is it really important that Jesus was born in Bethlehem?

I find it encouraging because this is a reminder that we can trust God to fulfill what He has promised. He promised years before Christ was born that He would be born in Bethlehem of Judea, and here we see the fulfillment of that prophecy.

Do not be Afraid -Matthew 1:20-23

Today's promise brings us to Joseph in the book of Matthew.

"But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us.""

I found this section encouraging, not only because it showed the fulfillment of the prophecy, (which we looked at that prophecy in an earlier post), but I also found it encouraging that the angel told Joseph that Jesus would "...save His people from their sins."

That is hope for the Christian to live by.

Number 40! And Off to Egypt....not me personally. Hosea 11:1

...I've officially posted 40 times...wow. I can't believe it's already been 40 days...

Today's post again is following the Christmas season, and we find ourselves today in the book of Hosea.

"When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son."

 Now, if your reaction was anything like mine, you might be like, "Hey! That's talking about the Children of Israel, not Jesus!"

While this was indeed talking about the Children of Israel, God also used it as a prophecy through the prophet Hosea. Matthew recognized this, and references Hosea in chapter 2:14-15...when Joseph and Mary flee with Jesus to Egypt.

"When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son.""

This prophecy/promise is an encouragement to us because we can know through this, and other prophecies fulfilled, that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.

Born in Bethlehem -Micah 5:2 and Matthew 2:1

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."

This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus. Matthew 2:1 Clearly says Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

"...Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king..."

We can take the prophecies of Christ's birth and be encouraged, knowing that if God fulfilled His Word back then, He will be faithful to continue to fulfill His Word.

His Eye is on Us -Psalms 33:18-19

I know I just did a section from Psalms 33, but I wanted to share these verses, also from Psalms 33.

It's so easy as Christians to lose sight, to lose perspective. To be totally honest, I believe that this has been a constant battle for me lately. Maybe it has been for you too. It's so easy to get caught up in the here and now, and so easy to lose our sense of reality...what's really pure and good and honest and true.

These verses are a comfort to me because they remind me that even if I turn my eyes from being fixed on Jesus, that His eye is constantly on me.

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine."

 Look to Jesus, and hope in His mercy! His eye is on us...to deliver us!

I know this will be taking this verse out of context, but I really like verse 8 of Matthew 17 after Jesus was transfigured on the mount. The disciples see Jesus transfigured, and they see with Him Moses and Elijah. Then Peter, caught up in the moment, says to Jesus that they should "...make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

But then, a bright cloud covers them, and a voice comes out of the cloud saying, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"

The disciples, afraid, fall on their faces. But Jesus comes and touches them and says, "Arise, and do not be afraid." After that, verse 8 says,

"When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only."

My prayer is that we would see no one but Jesus.

That, as we "run with endurance the race that is set before us," we would be "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."