Seeking Jesus for the wrong reasons may seem like a mystery to believers, but not everyone seeks the Lord with pure motives in their hearts. In the story of the Wise Men, we see the true heart of King Herod as he interacts with them. Matthew 2:7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise …
Gentile astrologers traveled hundreds of miles to worship Jesus, but the Jews seemed to be too lazy to seek Jesus. They told Herod the prophecy about the Messiah’s birthplace,but did nothing else. Matthew 2: 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to …
The wisemen began by seeking Jesus in the wrong place. Matthew 2: Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we …
Jesus had unexpected seekers following his birth. These men were not Jews but Gentiles from the east. Matthew 2:1Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his …
Praise is contagious. As Simeon was praising God for the birth of the Messiah, Anna joined him. Luke 2: 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. [1] Both …
When people praise God despite difficulties, it makes you stop and think: how can they do that? A friend lost their 12-year-old daughter in a freak accident at a county fair, yet they still praised God for the time the Lord had given her to them. What enabled this family to mourn and still praise …
It is not uncommon for God to give revelation during praise that grows out of our relationship with Him. As we praise God, He may provide us with insight into how we can make a difference in the lives of those around us or how we can deepen our relationship with Him. Proverbs 2:6 For …
We can praise God for His faithfulness daily! Have you ever thought about how God’s faithfulness has impacted your life? Deuteronomy 7:9Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and …
From the story of Simeon and Jesus, we can see that the Spirit guides us to praise. Luke 2: 25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had …
What does it mean to praise God with your life as a believer in Jesus? Sometimes we think of praising the Lord in a worship service, but it is much deeper than that. Praising the Lord with all our hearts is about offering sincere, wholehearted worship. It involves dedicating your feelings, intentions, actions, mind, soul, …