Monthly Archives: December 2021

God is Good, All the Time

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…from Luke 13:10-17

In this account, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues; and it was on a Sabbath day. 

A woman was there who, for eighteen years, had had an infirmity caused by a spirit—she was bound by satan that way.

She was bent double and was totally unable to straighten up at all. 

But she made her way over to Jesus, upon His invitation and call.

“Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity,” He said, laying His hands upon her—immediately she became erect. 

She began to glorify God that Jesus’ ministry had had such a powerful effect!

But due to rigid adherence to the Torah, a synagogue official could only “see” the Law. 

Jesus should not have healed on the Sabbath, he indicated. All he could see was this “flaw.”

In the face of such a miracle, he still, obviously, wasn’t persuaded.

His only desire seemed to be that Jesus’ act of love should be degraded.

Jesus then called him a hypocrite, saying that he, and the other synagogue officials, would untie their own oxen or donkeys on the Sabbath to lead them to some waters.

How much more, then, was it right for Him to heal, even though on a Sabbath, this woman, who was one of Abraham’s daughters.

After Jesus had said these things, his opponents were put to shame…

while, for the glorious things He was doing for others, the people were giving Him great acclaim.

As believers, we, too, are heirs of Abraham; and on any night or day… 

the Lord, who never slumbers or sleeps, will hear and answer us whenever we pray.

P. A. Oltrogge

“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29 NASB

“…He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:3-4 NASB

You may want to visit http://www.govictory.com 24/7 (morning prayer M-F, 9:30 a.m. ET) 877-281-6297 where you can pray with and for others for their needs or submit a prayer request of your own.

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Seal the Deal

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God has graciously sent out a worldwide appeal,
and now is the time to seal the deal.

Pastors and missionaries have spread the Word
that everyone needs Jesus, so that they can be assured

that eternal life is theirs…by way of “the new birth.”
The blessing of new life is offered for all people of the earth.

So it’s not only the planting of gospel seeds that needs to go through,
but praying for many to respond is a vital part of working in the Lord’s harvest fields too.

Just as, at Jesus’ birth, the angel proclaimed God’s good tidings of great joy to shepherds in a field, we also can tell of that “good news,” and even personally pray with some individuals…for their deal to be sealed!

P. A. Oltrogge

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.'” Luke 2:8-12

“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

“Jesus answered and said to him, (Nicodemus) ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'” John 3:3

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14

Scriptures: New King James Version

Visit “25 Songs of Christmas” at http://www.kcm.org, Day 7, “I Surrender All” and Day 8, “Who is this Baby?” (a beautiful Christmas ballad, which you may not have previously heard).

Though I’ve used the familiar expression, “seal the deal,” the more Biblical way of stating what transpires when you receive Christ as Savior and Lord is that you are not only receiving forgiveness of sins, but you are entering into a covenant relationship with God.

The following quote is from the booklet, A Covenant of Blood, by Kenneth Copeland. “Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb that established your covenant with God. His own blood was shed. The book of Hebrews says that we have a new and living way to approach God. Remember ‘the way of blood’? Well, the blood of Jesus has made the way for us to have a covenant relationship with the Father.”

This quote reprinted with permission from Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Train Ride

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I was traveling on a train that had many stops it would be making…
but I knew my destination and which stop that I’d be taking.

I thought I’d ask the traveler next to me where he was going to go;
then, surprisingly, he said it wasn’t something he could know.

I thought that that was rather odd, for one needs to be quite sure,
for travelers can’t ride indefinitely on a never-ending tour.

I’d researched my destination, having heard it was a beautiful place;
but my fellow traveler’s plans were vague and uncertain in his case.

Eventually, he’d need to get off—there would come an end to the trail.
It reminded me of those who travel equally vaguely, but on a spiritual rail.

They think that any exit will get them to a final place of peace,
but they haven’t secured the ticket to where God’s love will never cease.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life…don’t travel until it’s too dark.
Secure your ticket by taking Him as Savior—then you’ll KNOW where you will disembark.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6 NKJV

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2 NKJV

There’s a Song in the Air

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There’s a song in the air; there’s a star in the sky…
There’s a mother’s sweet prayer, and a baby’s low cry.
And the star rains its fire, while angelic choirs sing,
for the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

There’s a tumult of joy, o’er the wonderful birth,
for a virgin’s sweet baby is the Lord of the earth.
Lo, the star rains its fire while angelic choirs sing,
for the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

In the light of that star, angels sang of His worth,
and their song from afar has swept over the earth.
Every hearth is aflame, as we join in and sing,
in the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

We rejoice in His light as we echo the song
that was heard in the night from the heavenly throng.
The shepherds rejoiced and also made known
that the Savior had arrived from God’s heavenly throne.

Josiah G. Holland/Karl P. Harrington

Since this was authored long ago, I adjusted the song somewhat to a bit more modern thought… It is a beautiful Christmas hymn.

P. A. Oltrogge

Visit http://www.kcm.org to prepare for Christmas with “25 Songs of Christmas”… As in the above, December 2nd was a beautiful rendition of “O Holy Night”

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