What is normal!

I am no different than you. I put my pants on both legs at a time. That's normal right. Lol!  What is normal any way. Is it having a 9 to 5 job, 2.5 kids, a house and two cars. (I'm still waiting to see how having half a kid is normal). Normal is defined as: "conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected".  Basically it means to be like everyone else. We are driven to be like him, or to dress like her, or have a nice car like they do. We are driven to impress people that, lets be honest, we don't even like. We bust out tails working 80 hour weeks so we can afford that BMW in the drive way that we don't even like anymore. So now we have to work even harder to upgrade, because Bob down the street just got a Hummer. 

Do we really want to live that way! Living up to the standard that the world sets and changes on a daily basis?  Don't get me wrong I have the same desires. I catch the "gotta have it" bug too. The only difference is I am not a millionaire and have 5 kids, so you can probably guess where my money goes. I've always had a rebellious spirit though and liked to go against the grain. Lucky for me Gods word speaks about this numerous times. We aren't supposed to covet our neighbors things. We aren't supposed to conform to the ways of this world. So, I have N excuse for not having better things than my buddies. Actually, I want to be this way. I want to line up with the word of God. In the last years God has allowed us to struggle with our finances. Don't get me wrong, God has always provided for our needs. We have never gone without anything that we "needed". God has been good to us. Even though we don't deserve it. 

Lets get back to the "normal" subject. As a Christian, I feel a little like an outsider. Like the new kid at school. I feel like an overweight guy at an all you can eat buffet. You know the feeling. Like everyone is watching you. Waiting for you to stumble. Bottom line is WE ARE DIFFERENT!  We are freaks, compared to the world model.  What! Jason you shouldn't say that, you might hurt someone's feelings!  Good! I hope I did, because if I did, maybe that will wake them up. We are supposed to be different, set apart, and unique. We are called to be different, radical, and not normal!  If we were the same as everyone else, there would be nothing that sets us apart. There would  be nothing that distinguishes us as Gods chosen people. I love being a freak!  And at the risk of sounding corny, a Jesus Freak!   You should too. Live bold! Live unique! Live an-normal! 

Tis the season 3

Now I will simply put the rest of the story out there for you to read.  There is not need for me to commentate on it.  Its perfect just the way it is.  I will just invite you to go and read the scriptures that I noted on my last blog and see the prophecies fulfilled.  It will blow your mind.  Merry Christmas to all!

The Birth of Jesus Christ

1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned,glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

21And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Tis the season 2

I started a continuation of this blog a week back, however apparently I lost everything.  So now I am going a new direction.  

I wanted to tell the Christmas story in a way that we could all understand, even though its not terribly difficult to understand.  There are a few bits of information that many might not really know about.  First of all this event that took place on that fateful Christmas night, was not just a fluke, quite the contrary.  This event was talked about thousands of years before it even happened.  The coming of a savior was not new knowledge to the Jewish people.  
Many great prophets spoke of the Messiah.  

• Isaiah talked about the savior being born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14). 
• In the book of Micah it is written that the savoir would be born in the city of David, which is Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-2).  
• The book of Genesis speaks of the messiah being from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).  
• Jeremiah tells us that He will be of the lineage of King David (Jeremiah 23:5). 
• In Psalms we are told that kings would present him gifts (Psalm 72:10)
• We are also told that He would be worshiped by shepherds (Psalm 72:9)

There are so many other references to this one night in the bible.  The reason I wanted to stress this point is, it shows that it was most definitaly planned out by God and only God.  He for thousands of years planned this event to change the relationship that He had with man.  This event would change everything.  This event would introduce grace.  Grace, a concept that man had not truly known until this point.  

I want to go through the story with you a little bit at a time and we can see how it went down.  Let's begin. Most times this story starts in the 2nd chapter of Luke, but it actually begins in the 1st chapter.  

In this chapter the Bible tells us about John the Baptist, who was to be not only Jesus' lead man, but also his cousin.  The bible tells us that his mother and father were very old, and unable to concieve.  An angel showed up and told Zaccarias that his wife would get pregnant, and he didnt beleive it, so the angel said that he would not be able to speak until John was born.  The cool thing about this pregnancy was that when Mary went to visist after she heard about the miricle of the conception.  When she showed up the Bible says that John jumped in her belly when in the pressance of Jesus.  Even in the womb Jesus was making people jump for joy.  I will leave you with the scripture.  This first part of the story is laying the foundation for the amazing parts to come.  

5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6And they were bothrighteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strongdrink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."

18And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." 19And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20And behold,you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." 21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision inthe temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.23And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25"Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

Birth of Jesus Foretold

26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.28And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

34And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

35And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God." 38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

46And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

52he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

53he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John." 61And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name." 62And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote,"His name is John." And they all wondered. 64And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.65And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah's Prophecy

67And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit andprophesied, saying,

68"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people

69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David,

70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

71that we should be saved from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us;

72to show the mercy promised to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant,

73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

74that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

might serve him without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

77to give knowledge of salvation to his people

in the forgiveness of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God,

whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace."

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

 I will continue the rest later tonight.