The Glory of God

Scripture:

Luke 2:28-32
Simeon was there.
He took the child in his arms and praised God saying,
“Lord, now I can die in Peace!
As You promised me, I have seen the Savior
You have given to all the people.
He is the Light to reveal God to the nations,
and He is the Glory of Your people Israel!” (NLT)

Observation:

Eight days after Jesus’ birth and after His circumcision in the Temple, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem for the purification offering, as required by the Law of Moses. It was here they met a devout and righteous man named Simon who had been told by an angel of the LORD that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. This psalm of praise, the forth of five psalms found in the Gospel of Luke, is a heart felt expression of one man’s extraordinary faith.
Although this particular man called Simon is not mentioned anyplace else in the Bible, he is certainly worth mentioning because of his amazing faith. It seems to be our human nature that we get impatient or lose hope when we have to wait for something we are in dire need of or something we desire and long to have. And much like Abraham’s wife Sarah, we often grow weary of waiting on the Lord and take matters into our own hands, often finding ourselves discouraged and feeling even more hopeless. It is for this very reason that we must fully trust in the Lord our God, for He knows perfectly what we need and when we need it.

Application:

Because God is holy (Psalm 99:9), He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), nor can He give us false promises and hope. And for all who believe in God’s Word as Truth there is no longer the need to wait for the Messiah, because He has come and provided the salvation that all peoples are so dire in need of. For every man, woman, and child who is borne into this world cannot (by their own will or strength) save themselves from the final judgment of God by obeying the Law of Moses; it is impossible without the saving grace of God. It is by faith in Christ Jesus our Savior that we are saved from the power of sin and death which hangs over our heads and enslaves our lives (Romans 3:25). And it is with this faith that we receive both the strength and the wisdom of God, through His Holy Spirit, that we are able to maintain our righteous standing before our eternal holy and just God. My dear friends, now that we have faith in God’s salvation we must wait patiently, once again, with the steadfast faith of Simon; for Jesus is coming back, just as His words in the Book of Revelation tell us, to completely destroy the old and fallen way of life so that He can bring in the new and perfect everlasting life for those who put their faith in the Truth that the LORD Almighty has so graciously provided.

Prayer:

Thank You Lord God, for Your abundant mercy and grace that provided us with the salvation that is impossible for us to earn, no matter how good we think we are. And thank You for the hope that Your salvations brings into a world that is consumed with false hope. You, O Lord, are truly the Savior of the world!







Soap December 28, 2010
Scripture:

Luke 2:28-32
Simeon was there.
He took the child in his arms and praised God saying,
“Lord, now I can die in Peace!
As You promised me, I have seen the Savior
You have given to all the people.
He is the Light to reveal God to the nations,
and He is the Glory of Your people Israel!” (NLT)

Observation:

Eight days after Jesus’ birth and after His circumcision in the Temple, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem for the purification offering, as required by the Law of Moses. It was here they met a devout and righteous man named Simon who had been told by an angel of the LORD that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. This psalm of praise, the forth of five psalms found in the Gospel of Luke, is a heart felt expression of one man’s extraordinary faith.
Although this particular man called Simon is not mentioned anyplace else in the Bible, he is certainly worth mentioning because of his amazing faith. It seems to be our human nature that we get impatient or lose hope when we have to wait for something we are in dire need of or something we desire and long to have. And much like Abraham’s wife Sarah, we often grow weary of waiting on the Lord and take matters into our own hands, often finding ourselves discouraged and feeling even more hopeless. It is for this very reason that we must fully trust in the Lord our God, for He knows perfectly what we need and when we need it.

Application:

Because God is holy (Psalm 99:9), He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), nor can He give us false promises and hope. And for all who believe in God’s Word as Truth there is no longer the need to wait for the Messiah, because He has come and provided the salvation that all peoples are so dire in need of. For every man, woman, and child who is borne into this world cannot (by their own will or strength) save themselves from the final judgment of God by obeying the Law of Moses; it is impossible without the saving grace of God. It is by faith in Christ Jesus our Savior that we are saved from the power of sin and death which hangs over our heads and enslaves our lives (Romans 3:25). And it is with this faith that we receive both the strength and the wisdom of God, through His Holy Spirit, that we are able to maintain our righteous standing before our eternal holy and just God. My dear friends, now that we have faith in God’s salvation we must wait patiently, once again, with the steadfast faith of Simon; for Jesus is coming back, just as His words in the Book of Revelation tell us, to completely destroy the old and fallen way of life so that He can bring in the new and perfect everlasting life for those who put their faith in the Truth that the LORD Almighty has so graciously provided.

Prayer:

Thank You Lord God, for Your abundant mercy and grace that provided us with the salvation that is impossible for us to earn, no matter how good we think we are. And thank You for the hope that Your salvations brings into a world that is consumed with false hope. You, O Lord, are truly the Savior of the world!
Zakery Daniel