Christians and politics.

 BY Argie Simonis 

" For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." (Romans 13:4)

The separation of powers is a fundamental principle of the rule of law, as well as of democracy.

Three powers, the legislative, the executive and the judicial, ensure the smooth functioning of the state. As Christians, what should be our position regarding politics?

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-- THE SALT

" Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." (Matthew 5:13)

As Christians we are called to be the salt of this world, not the sugar.

1. Salt prevents the rapid decomposition of something that is rotting.

We vote based on which candidate will delay the decomposition in a society that is declining.

For the government of the state you do not vote for charmers, nor for pastors. You vote for the political agenda. The personality of the Pesident will last for 4 or 8 years, depending on the electoral system of each country. However, the political agenda that each government will set, will last for your children and grandchildren. That is why it is important to say no to the murder with abortions, and to the mutilation and sterilization of children that the woke culture is trying to impose.

Our vote has power as does our prayer.

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-- 2. Salt does nothing when it remains in the salt shaker.

We are not the salt of the Church, but of the world, so we do not leave our ethics and conscience outside of politics.

Joseph played a decisive role in Egypt with Pharaoh, Daniel with King Nebuchadnezzar, Esther prevented the genocide of the people of Israel, and godly politicians were the ones who collaborated in the abolition of slavery.

Liberal antichrists of the world?

" Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)

" When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs 29:2)

Even atheists admit that Christian principles make society better (Richard Dawkins, cultural christians).

If we don't become salt, woke culture and Islam will swallow us up, as it started happening in England, where recent legislation can get you in prison if you dare to pray outside an abortion center, and anyone who condemns sin and speaks of repentance and turning to God is considered to be practicing hate speech and is arrested.

Love praises the truth. Even the unity that everyone wants cannot exist without the truth, which is Christ:

" Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

~~ The Church should not remain outside politics, but politics should remain outside the Church.

The separation of Church and politics means, in simple terms, that the Archbishop or thr Pope cannot be the President or the Prime Minister at the same time. ~~

The problem is not that the Church has been politicized, but that the state has been spiritualized. If the Church is silenced and loses its prophetic word, society will lose both its mind and its conscience.

For example:

-- John the Baptist called Herod to repentance.

Anyone who believes that Christians are good and quiet people who don't interfere anywhere, then why do you think they crucified Jesus? The Lord stood trial, as did the apostles.

---- The apostles were even beaten by the "government":

" And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." (Acts 5:40)

---- They were forbidden to speak about Christ:

" And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." (Acts 4:18)

" But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." (Acts 4:19)

---- Peter was imprisoned:

" And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people." (Acts 12:4)

Does all this remind you of today's situations?

The Kingdom of God is not of this world, which is precisely why we, as Christians, must actively participate in this world:

" Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)

-- 3. When salt loses its taste, it is no longer useful.

We said:

1. Salt prevents the rapid decomposition of something that is rotting.

2. Salt does nothing when it is left in the salt shaker.

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Let's see what happens when the salt comes out of the salt shaker and it is not salty.

It loses its saltiness when:

a) exposed to moisture

b) exposed to metal ions

It evaporates and only a residue remains that looks like salt, but has no taste at all.

For example:

They invented the term reproductive rights to justify abortions. Abortions kill babies, they don't reproduce them.

When you vote for someone who promotes these "reproductive rights," you are essentially agreeing that your daughter has the right to kill your unborn grandchild.

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---- LIFESTYLE, THINKING AND BEHAVIOR ----

Jesus warned that there are dangers out there in the world. As a Christian, you may be salt, but you can lose your saltiness.

You are like salt, you profess to be salt, but when you open your mouth and reveal what is in your heart, your values ​​do not follow Heaven, but the world.

" And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Separating yourself from the world does not mean that you hate people or those who disagree with you. But you are distancing yourself from the mindset of the world. In other words,you do not let the world’s mentality influence your life, your thoughts, and your behavior.

We are different from the world. We are called to change the world, not to conform to it.

We are called to worship the Lord Jesus, not political or religious leaders.

We take guidance from the Lord and His word, not from the movies and Hollywood stars.

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---- COWARDICE LOSES SALTINESS

We bow to the pressure of public opinion.

I know the truth, but I'm afraid that if I speak it out they will reject me or censor me.

I'll let them inject me with whatever they want, because I'm afraid I'll lose my job. Even if this preparation hasn't been tested, even if it has side effects, and even if inside I react and feel that something is not right.

What happened to the slogan My body, my choice? The same people who injected people by force are also the ones who say about abortions that my body is my choice.

Fear of man is what puts pressure on you to break you. If the devil can’t deceive or seduce, he will try to intimidate and threaten.

Being fearless does not mean you are proud or arrogant. Being fearless means that you trust God and not yourself. It doesn’t matter if you are rejected or ridiculed by the world for your faith. The Lord Himself was also rejected and ridiculed. And they continue to do so today. With our lives we want to please God and not men.

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" Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." (Matthew 16:6)

Jesus was referring to the spiritual, but as usual, His disciples were thinking only in the physical.

" How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?" (Matthew 16:11)

" Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." (Matthew 16:12)

In the same way, we often miss the point because we have carnal thinking.

" But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)

" For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

" Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:7)

A serious warning: If you believe that the opinions and beliefs of others cannot harm or influence you, you are deceiving yourself.

" Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." (1 Corinthians 15:33)

" And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod." (Mark 8:15)

The Pharisaic spirit is the spirit of religious fanaticism.

The leaven of Herod refers to the Herodians, and is a political spirit. Watch some information we get from Wikipedia:

~~ In ancient Judea during the times of the Bible, the so-called Herodians constituted the powerful political party around Herod the Great, hence their name. This group was pro-Roman and had allied itself mainly with the foreigners who inhabited Judea at that time. The leader of the Herodians was Antipas, an evil person who perhaps aimed at seizing power.

The Herodians were radically opposed to every other religious group in Judea and mainly against the Messianic ideology of Israel. ~~

~ Source: Wikipedia

The political spirit considers the state above God, and political parties above the spiritual family. It treats politicians as Messiahs, considers the preaching of the gospel to be proselytism and dangerous to society, and the pointing out of sin to be hate speech. This is the spirit hidding behind the woke culture.

We should not allow this spirit to contaminate us. We are citizens of Heaven and ambassadors of Christ.

The world is not our refuge, but our field of ministry, and this is something we must never forget. Political parties are not as important as the spiritual family, and the person who sits in the seat of power of our country is not as important as the One who sits on the White Throne. And those who disagree with us are not our enemies, but our mission:

" Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19)

" Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20)

The Lord does not only call us to preach the gospel and make converts, but to make disciples of all the nations. A disciple is one who can make other disciples. Moreover, the field that the Lord sends us is difficult and dangerous:

" Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16)

A sheep among wolves is helpless, but Jesus went on to tell them to be wise as serpents. This means that out in the world we are not completely defenseless. Wisdom is a powerful force that gives us a great advantage:

" For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist." (Luke 21:15)

Our fight is not against political parties or politicians:

" For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

Our christian voice must be heard in society. We must be informed about what is happening in the world, we must not neglect our right to vote which was given to us at a great cost and, why not, those who have been called by God to become politicians. When the principles of the gospel are applied in education, in the media and in politics, they can change the entire society.

We love our country, but our eyes and our hope are fixed on Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the whole world. Our mission is not to wait for the rapture, but to win souls for the Heavenly Kingdom and make disciples,

" ... baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,

teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..." (Matthew 28:19-20)

So we do not conform to the world and its ideology, we are not afraid to confess our faith and our values, we do not hesitate to condemn sin, and we are not contaminated by thoughts like "Greek automatically means Christian", or "Belonging to a certain political party automatically makes you a Christian". These things are separate from each other.

We remain faithful to our Christ, the Lion of Judah who is coming soon, and when He comes

" That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;" (Philippians 2:10)

" And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:11)

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Watch what Paul writes to Timothy:

" I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;" (1 Timothy 2:1)

" For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (1 Timothy 2:2)

" For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;" (1 Timothy 2:3)

" Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4)

The early Christians, due to Roman persecution, were excluded from political events. Emperor Constantine the Great of Byzantium, who was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, which established religious tolerance in the Roman Empire, and thus the persecution of Christians stopped. As a result, Christians stopped hiding in the catacombs, began to freely perform their religious rites and take part in political events.

He also convened the First Ecumenical Council, during which the Creed was established

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When Theodosius the Great was Emperor of Byzantium, on February 27, 380 AD, he recognized Christianity as the official religion of the empire, declaring

"we desire all the various subject nations [...] to follow the Religion delivered to the Romans by the holy apostle Peter"

and on November 8, 392 AD he outlawed the ancient religions. On May 2, 381, he issued the so-called "edict against apostates" by which he punished with complete deprivation of legal rights all former Christians who returned to the National Religion. On December 21, 382, ​​he prohibited, under penalty of death and confiscation of property, those who engaged in any form of sacrifice, divination, chanting in honor of the Gods, or simple visits to ancient Temples.

In 384 he ordered the demolition or sealing of pagan sanctuaries and signed a new ban on sacrifices, while on February 24, 391 he renewed the complete ban on sacrifices and visits to pagan temples:

"No one will be defiled by sacrifices and carcasses, no one will approach or enter Temples, nor will he raise his eyes to images made by human hands, otherwise he will be guilty before human and divine laws."

The salt shaker began to shake, and Christianity strongly influenced the government, but slowly money and power brought corruption. The salt looked like salt, but it had no taste. There was no longer the supernatural. There was no sanctification, no justice. The Pope of Rome became simultaneously the King of the country, and so the salt lost its saltiness.

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We are not here to escape the world, nor to conform to the world's thinking. We will not remain silent because of the pressure and intimidation that the world exerts on us.

We are here to speak the truth with love, to pray for our homeland, for our cities, and for the politicians who govern us, whoever they may be.

And as for our vote, we do not vote for the nice or the flatterers, but for those who will resist the decay and rot that the devil is trying to bring to society.

Amen!

The unknown story of the three Wise Men.

  BY Argie Simonis 

Today we will look at the unknown story of the three Wise Men who went to worship Jesus, and the lessons we learn from this story.

We will look at the events that took place through the Gospel of Matthew, where the central point is our worship of the Lord.

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When God became man and the presence of the Lord came to earth, people started appearing to worship Him, because they wanted to be in His presence. So the three Wise Men did:

" Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Wise Men from the east to Jerusalem," (Matthew 2:1)

The Wise Men visited Him after He was born, not before, and they probably came from Persia. They went first to Jerusalem, and then to Bethlehem.

" Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." (Matthew 2:2)

They didn't know where He was. I'll talk about the star later.

" When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him." (Matthew 2:3)

" And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born." (Matthew 2:4)

" And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet," (Matthew 2:5)

" And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel." (Matthew 2:6)

This passage refers to the prophecy of Micah 5:2.

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" Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared." (Matthew 2:7)

Herod called them secretly, because we know that he wanted to kill Jesus, but I believe that he wanted to kill them also, so that there would be no witnesses. Also, the Wise Men came after Jesus' birth, not before. I will show you this later,

" And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also." (Matthew 2:8)

Herod asked them to find the little child, not the infant, and of course he was lying to them that he wanted to beg.

" When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." (Matthew 2:9)

Here with the star, we see a supernatural phenomenon. The Lord used this phenomenon to guide them. From verses 8-21, Jesus is referred to as a child 9 times, in 14 verses.

" When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (Matthew 2:10)

" And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11)

The Wise Men came to the house and not to the stable.

" And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way." (Matthew 2:12)

There is a treasure of revelations here! We know that the wise men came to worship Jesus.

As I said at the beginning, the central point of today's message is worship. This Christmas story teaches us three very basic things about our worship of the Lord:

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--1. EXPECTATION

The three wise men came to Jesus with an expectation that when they entered the presence of the Great King, something would happen.

Think about this- The journey these wise men made was very long.

From Saveh in Persia, where they are believed to have started, to Bethlehem, along the typical trade routes of the time, was about 2000 km. Caravans usually covered about 30 km. per day. Doing the math, this shows a journey of about 2 months. 2 months to go, and 2 months to return = 4 months of total travel.

Also see some facts about the origins of the three wise men:

They were from the East. They were not Jews, and as the word suggests, they were literally magicians. They practiced magic and astrology, like all magicians of the time. But these particular men were probably godly people, and I will show you why.

First, look at what we read in Daniel:

" Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king." (Daniel 2:2)

We are all born with a need to seek the supernatural. This is also true for those who are not Christians, which is why in many cultures there are witch doctors, mediums, astrologers and horoscopes, because people have this desire for the supernatural.

The king of Moab used Balaam to curse the people of Israel. Balaam was a magician, he cast spells and cursed people. Many theologians believe that Balaam is the father of magicians, and when he came to curse the people of Israel, God stopped him, and Balaam, instead of cursing them, ended up blessing them.

Did you know that Balaam was the first to prophesy about the star of Bethlehem? And it is very likely that the three wise men learned about this star from Balaam:

" I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." (Numbers 24:17)

The Moabites are considered descendants of Moab, son of Lot, and were the inhabitants of the country bounded on the north by Ammon, on the west by the Dead Sea, and on the south by Edom.

Moab was conquered by the Persians, so when the magicians study their history, they go back to Balaam, and what do they see?

From the probable founder of their organization, they see that the God of Israel not only prevents him from cursing Israel, but compels him to bless them. They also see the prophecy that Balaam gave about a star.

Remember also Esther. Persia had conquered the people of Israel and because of the treachery of Haman, a Persian official, there was going to be a complete

genocide of the people of Israel. But God defended them through Mordecai and Queen Esther.

So when the Persians study their history, they discover that once again the God of Israel saved His people.

When Daniel and the people of Israel were enslaved by the Babylonians, Persia came and conquered them. The Persian astrologers and magicians that we read in Daniel 2:2 could not interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, but one Jew could. And that same Jew was saved from the lions’ den (during the reign of Darius). And three other Jews, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, were saved from the fiery furnace that King Nebuchadnezzar had thrown upon them.

So when the Persians read their history, they see

repeatedly the God of the Jews saving His people. And they go back even further, to a prophecy about a star that would point to the coming Messiah (Numbers 24:17).

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---- DANIEL'S 70 WEEKS ----

Now look at a prophecy of Daniel. God's word is awesome! Daniel prophesies that the Messiah will come in 483 years.

" Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." (Daniel 9:25)

Jesus was born 453 years later. Of course there is no mistake in Daniel's prophecy. If we do the math 7+62 weeks = 69 weeks X 7 = 483 - 30 = 453, because Jesus began His ministry when He was 30 years old.

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When the three wise men find Jesus, He must be over 12 months old, because when Herod did his calculations, he comanded all boys 2 years old and under to be killed. This is why I previously emphasized that Jesus is referred to in Matthew as a child and not an infant.

This also means that the three wise men were not in the stable at Jesus' birth, but found Him later:

" And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him ..." (Matthew 2:11)

Consider that the story of this Messiah has been around for centuries, and these Persian Magi traveled 2000 kilometers to come into His presence, to worship Him and bow down to Him!

And I ask everyone: If these Magi made such an effort to be in His presence, how much more so would we, who do not have to make such a long journey?

The Magi knew this and were looking forward to it. All of us should have this excitement and anticipation in our hearts when it comes to entering the presence of the Lord, especially when it is done in fellowship with brothers:

" For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)

--2. EXPRESSIVE WORSHIP

" When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (Matthew 2:10)

" And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11)

I would like us to pay attention to the words Matthew uses in his description. He does not say that they simply rejoiced, but that

" ...they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (Matthew 2:10)

In other words, Matthew wants to show us how intensely they expressed their worship of Jesus. When we worship the Lord we rejoice, we lift up our hands, we may sing or even dance in His presence!

See what else they did:

" ...and fell down, and worshipped Him..." (Matthew 2:11)

Can you imagine the power of the word "fall" in this scene where the three wise men fall to worship the Lord? They literally fell down and worshiped the Savior of the world! I believe that's how the walls of Jericho fell!

These three wise men enter a house, see a little child, and falling violently to the ground, they bow down and literally collapse in His presence. And don't forget, these were not just ordinary people. They were prominent, educated, and wealthy men, what we would call intellectuals of that time. And they collapsed before a child!

~ You know, it would do us a lot of good if we too came with such broken hearts before the Lord every now and then! ~

There will come a day when every rich, every powerful and famous, every atheist, every doctor and intellectual, will fall down in His presence like this:

" Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:" (Philippians 2:9)

" That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;" (Philippians 2:10)

" And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:11)

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Here are some typical Biblical examples of such expressive worship:

" ... O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph." (Psalms 47:1)

" O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation." (Psalms 95:1)

" O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." (Psalms 95:6)

" Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD." (Psalms 134:2)

These are Biblical ways to express our worship to the Lord. I believe some of you grew up in churches where during worship you stood still with a hymnbook in your hand, and most of the time it seemed boring. And then you go to another church, where people are singing, dancing, raising their hands, some crying, some laughing, and some kneeling in the presence of the Lord.

The reason I say this is because

" Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Corinthians 3:17)

~ This means that during worship we have the freedom to express our love and worship to the Lord as His Spirit leads us, and do not be surprised if you see some even kneeling or falling in His presence. ~

When you kneel in the presence of the Lord, something happens, something changes within you that makes you never want to go back to the "traditional" way of worship you were taught, because that is how you learn what it really means to express your love for God and not care at all what others say!

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-- 3. WORSHIP WITHOUT LIMITS

" And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11)

These gifts which they offered unto the Lord had a prophetic significance, which they themselves probably did not know.

The gold represents the kingdom, the frankincense represents the divinity, as when our prayers ascend unto the Lord as incense, and the myrrh, represents the human side of Jesus.

~ King, God, and man ~

Myrrh was used to anoint the body of a dead man. Jesus was not anointed with myrrh in the tomb, because when they went to find Him the tomb was empty, because He had risen. But the Lord was anointed with myrrh beforehand:

" Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper," (Matthew 26:6)

" There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat." (Matthew 26:7)

" When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me." (Matthew 26:10)

" For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always." (Matthew 26:11)

" For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial." (Matthew 26:12)

The reason the three wise men brought these three gifts is that they were the best that Persia had to offer. Persia was famous for its gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

My question is this: If the three wise men brought the best they had to the Lord, what do we offer Him when we come into His presence? Do we bring the best we have when we come to worship Him?

I confess, and I speak for myself first, that I don’t always do that. In worship I don’t always give Him my best. Sometimes I might think of something else, something might take my attention away from Him, the worship ends, and I’m still absorbed in my thoughts.

So the three wise men brought the best they had, and then they say a phrase that many people don't pay attention to and don't realize what it really means:

" ...and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures..." (Matthew 2:11)

When caravans traveled at that time, they made sure to have enough supplies of food and money, so that if something unforeseen happened, they would have enough to get by until they returned home. If the trip, for example, lasted 2 months to go and 2 months to return, that is, for a total trip of 4 months, they made sure to have supplies with them for twice that time, that is, for 8 months. It was a safeguard.

I also believe that the three wise men did not travel alone. I believe that for such a trip they must have had an entire caravan with them, if we consider the length of their trip and the dangers such a trip involved.

They might have fallen into famine, or into robbers, so they hid some of their money, and in this particular case, they carried gold with them for at least 8 months of travel. That was their treasure. And in the verse we read it says that they opened their treasures and offered Him.

This is how we should worship. And here I will emphasize the following: We should never separate worship from giving. It is something we find in many places in the Scriptures. When people worshiped the Lord, they always gave, an offering, a sacrifice. If you really want to go to another level in your worship, you must also go to another level in giving, and I mean in your tithing and offerings. And I have explained in a previous message, especially about tithing, that if you do not tithe, that is, if you do not give back to God what belongs to Him, you open a door for the devil, who, like a thief, will come and steal from you in multiples!

~ So this is the third lesson we learn from the 3 wise men. Worship without restrictions and without limits! ~

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Watch something else we see in their story. Do you remember that they first went to Jerusalem and asked where the one who had been born king of the Jews was? And this, because they assumed that he would be born in Jerusalem. So they had to study the Scriptures, and they saw that it said that he would be born in Bethlehem:

" But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2)

But they didn't know the exact location. But look at what it says in verse 12:

" And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way." (Matthew 2:12)

This revelation comes AFTER they worshipped Jesus.

I hope you will never forget what I'm about to tell you here! Because that's what happens when you enter the presence of God, and that's how your life will change!

~~ Before the wise men worshipped Jesus, before they entered His presence, they had to go to other people to understand what the Scriptures said. But when they entered His presence, God spoke to them directly! ~~

It's one of the most awesome things I've ever read in the Scriptures! If you don't worship the Lord, you should always ask someone else to explain the Scriptures to you.

"What does this mean?"

"What does the Lord mean by what He says here?"

But when you make it a habit to enter the Lord's presence with worship and thanksgiving, God will begin to speak directly to you!

Amen!

Seven Prophetic Words for Christmas.

  BY Argie Simonis 

Today we will study the first two chapters of Matthew and Luke. They speak of the birth of Jesus, and I encourage you all to study them. 

In this message we will see some awesome revelations from the Scriptures.

We will see 7 prophetic reasons that God gave us, which had to do with the birth of His Son. Seven different people, either received a prophecy, or gave a prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus.

7 is the number of completion. Prophecy means that God speaks, and we know that these things were spoken by the Lord, because they are in the Holy Bible. There is a specific word in each of these 7 prophecies, and this is what we will see in this message.

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-- 1. SALVATION (Zechariah)

This prophecy was given to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

Let us quickly recall what happened. Zechariah is married to Elizabeth and Elizabeth is barren. Zechariah prays for her to conceive, and then an angel of the Lord visits Zechariah, as he is in the Temple, and says to him:

" But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John." (Luke 1:13)

" And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years." (Luke 1:18)

" And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season." (Luke 1:20)

A little further down, the same angel, Gabriel, visits Mary, who asks the same question, but with faith:

" Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (Luke 1:34)

Abraham asked the same question in faith. God knew the heart with which the question was asked.

So Zacharias remains mute and cannot speak until John is born. They asked Elizabeth what his name would be, and when she told them John they were surprised, because they had no one with that name in their family.

When Zacharias comes, since he could not speak, he takes and writes that his name is John. As soon as he does this, his tongue is loosed and he can speak.

Let's start from here:

" And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying," (Luke 1:67)

" Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people," (Luke 1:68)

" And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;" (Luke 1:69)

" And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;" (Luke 1:76)

" To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins," (Luke 1:77)

~ Never forget that Christmas represents SALVATION; it is the day that God sent His Son to save us from sin and death, because:

" For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)

" For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

This is the main message of Christmas. The Savior will be called Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.

The Hebrew word Yeshua is a derivative of the word Joshua. Two such names are found in the Scriptures. One is Joshua, who served and succeeded Moses, and led the people of Israel to the Promised Land, and the other is the high priest when the people of Israel came out of exile.

Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, was the first High Priest in the rebuilding of the Jewish temple after the Jews returned from the Babylonian Captivity.

" Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God." (Ezra 3:2)

" Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them." (Ezra 5:2)

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Jesus' name at birth was not Joshua, but Hoshea. Moses added the letter -J- to the front, from what is the name of God, Jehovah, and made it Je-Hoshea, which then became Joshua.

Hoshea means salvation, and Jehovah means God, so Joshua means "The God Who Saves". But why did the Lord change it and make it Yeshua?

He did it because it refers directly to God, and it refers to His name -I AM-, when the Lord introduced himself to Moses:

" And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?" (Exodus 3:13)

" And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:14)

So here is what the name Jesus/Yeshua means:

~ I AM GOD YOUR SALVATION ~

This is one of the reasons the Pharisees were so angry when Jesus said

- "I am the door"

- "I am the way, the truth and the life"

- "I am the good Shepherd"

Every time he said this, he was essentially saying "I AM GOD"

" Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." (John 5:18)

- "I am God, the door"

- "I am God, the bread"

- "I am God, the way".

This is what Jesus said EVERY TIME when he spoke. That is why, no matter how busy these days are, with the gifts, the food, and all the preparations, we never forget that the first thing that Christmas represents is our salvation!

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--2. GRACE (Mary)

This is the prophecy given to Mary:

" And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth," (Luke 1:26)

" To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary." (Luke 1:27)

" And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:28)

" And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be." (Luke 1:29)

" And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God." (Luke 1:30)

What grace is Gabriel talking about here?

Noah found grace before God. This is what God spoke when His Son was born. He spoke salvation and grace! This is the age of grace we live in. We are full of grace!:

" Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," (Ephesians 1:5)

" To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)

" In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" (Ephesians 1:7)

We are His beloved! And beloved are those in whom the grace, the favor of God is found! Therefore, in all this hustle and bustle that exists these days, let us not forget that above all these days are characterized by the grace of God.

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--3. BLESSED (Elizabeth)

This is the prophecy that was given through Elizabeth.

" And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;" (Luke 1:39)

" And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth." (Luke 1:40)

" And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:" (Luke 1:41)

Here Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesies, and it is also the same moment that John the Baptist in the womb is filled with the Holy Spirit, and we also saw Zechariah being filled with the Holy Spirit:

" And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." (Luke 1:42)

" And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43)

" For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy." (Luke 1:44)

" And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord." (Luke 1:45)

- Blessed = the happy, the joyful.

Jesus came to make you happy. The devil tries to trick you and tell you that if you give your heart to Christ you will not be happy. Many people fall into this trap and believe that if they come to Christ they miss out on all the fun.

Believe me, before I came to Christ I was on the other side. I have seen the night, and I assure you it was not pleasant at all! You may find some apparent and temporary pleasures there, but you will never experience real joy that will last, which only Christ can give you.

Many say, "I will live my life as I want, I will have as much fun as I want, and when I get old, before I die, I will give my life to Christ." 

This is a delusion, because 

- you will never be truly happy (only Christ offers true happiness), 

- nor will you know when you will die.

" Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent Him TO BLESS YOU, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." (Acts 3:26)

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-- GUIDANCE (Joseph)

This prophecy was given to Joseph.

" Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily." (Matthew 1:19)

" But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 1:20)

" And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

" And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." (Matthew 2:13)

" But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt," (Matthew 2:19)

" Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life." (Matthew 2:20)

" And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel." (Matthew 2:21)

" But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:" (Matthew 2:22)

" And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene." (Matthew 2:23)

These prophetic words are awesome! The message I personally get from these words is that God will guide me! I don’t need to worry, be sad or stressed, because the Lord here tells us that one of the reasons He sent Christ to earth was to guide us and warn us, even through dreams!

He will tell us when to leave, when to move to another city, which city to go to, when to change jobs, which school to put your children in... The Lord will show us all of this. I hope you all are receiving these words. This is what Christmas means. God became man not only to offer us salvation, but also to bless us, to give us Grace,

to guide us every day, for our own good and that of our family.

This is what he did with Joseph, He was his GPS! Many times we don't listen to the Lord and we do our own thing, or other times we don't hear clearly what he shows us and we take the wrong path. That's where the GPS re-calculates our course and brings us back to the right path.

The Lord continues to speak through dreams, but don't forget that at that time they didn't have the entire Bible that we have today, and even available on their mobile phones at all times, as we have today. Only in the Temple did they hear the word of God. That's why we see greater activity of God speaking to them through dreams back then.

But the Lord speaks to us about many things and guides us through His word.

We enjoy the awesome privilege of having the word of God available in books, on our mobile phones, and yet we don't read it.

When you go to the doctor and wait for your turn in the waiting room, open your phone and read the word of God. Maybe the Lord has something to say to you while you wait.

Surely the Lord continues to speak today through prophetic dreams:

" And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" (Acts 2:17)

Through a dream that my wife Peggy saw, and actually she saw it three times, the Lord led us to Norway, where we have been living since 2011.

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-- JOY (Shepherds)

" And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke 2:8)

" And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid." (Luke 2:9)

" And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (Luke 2:10)

" For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

Jesus is not just the fruit of joy, but the SOURCE of joy! Without Christ in your life you cannot have joy. And the good thing is that this joy does not depend on the circumstances around you.

The devil never takes a break. He and his demons are constantly trying to find opportunities to steal, destroy and destroy. They will show you no mercy and no pity, even if a tragedy has happened in your life. In fact, these are their favorite opportunities to attack you. Did you know that one of the times when the devil attacks the most is Christmas?

Christmas should be one of the happiest times of the year, and yet, many people feel incredibly sad these days. There are reasons for that. It usually has to do with family, with relationships. There may be a break-up, a divirce, perhaps the loss of a loved one. Perhaps there is an illness afflicting someone in the family, perhaps there is a serious financial crisis. I understand if you are going through something like that.

As Christians, we have the power to grieve and rejoice at the same time!

Especially for those who have lost a loved one, I will say this:

" But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

" For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

So even in sorrow, you can have joy. No matter what happens to you this Christmas, know that you can have joy! Because one of the reasons for Christmas is joy.

Or will a lack of money prevent you from celebrating Christmas? If money is what brings you joy, then, yes, you will not be able to enjoy Christmas.

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--6. REDEMPTION (Anna)

This word was given by a prophetess, Anna, in the Temple:

" And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;" (Luke 2:36)

" And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day." (Luke 2:37)

" And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." (Luke 2:38)

Something is happening at the same time here, and this is no coincidence at all. If Anna got married at 14, which was quite common at the time, and lived with her husband for 7 years, that means she was at least 21 when she lost her husband. She had been a widow for 84 years, so she was 105 years old. Simeon, who I will talk about later, according to tradition, was 112. 

The reason I mention this is that you are never too old for God to use you. God chose 2 old people to prophesy about His Son!

Anna prophesies redemption. What does redemption mean? Redemption means to buy back. That is, God came to redeem us, because while we were His in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, His own children, whom God lost because of sin. So, Christ came to redeem, that is, to buy back what was His from the beginning. This means redemption, or deliverance.

A very beautiful example is the story of the prophet Hosea. Mainly in chapters 1 and 3. You can study it too. The Lord tells Hosea to go and redeem for Him a woman who is a prostitute. And he uses the word "take":

" The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD." (Hosea 1:2)

Hosea obeys the Lord:

" And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away." (Hosea 1:6)

" Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son." (Hosea 1:8)

But she then leaves her husband and returns to prostitution. And in chapter 3, God says to Hosea:

" Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine." (Hosea 3:1)

" So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:" (Hosea 3:2)

That's what Hosea did. Even though she left him and abandoned him, the Lord told him to buy her back to be his wife. That's what the word redemption means. It's a great story! It's a prophetic picture of the people of Israel, who left God, but the Lord bought them back, redeemed them. Jesus said he came for the lost sheep of Israel.

Do you know what that means? That even if I leave, even if I make a mistake, even if I fall back into the sin I had come out of, the Lord is always there, true to His word, to redeem me! To bring me back home:

" ... I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

" Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

In chapter 3 we also see another word that excites me. In chapter 1 the Lord says "take unto thee a wife," and in chapter 3 he says:

" ... Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend,..." (Hosea 3:1)

And then the Lord says to the people of Israel: This is what I do for you too! So this is a prophetic picture of Jesus who came to redeem us, to redeem us and to bring us back to Himself.

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--7. PEACE (Simeon).

This prophecy was given through Simeon.

" And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him." (Luke 2:25)

" And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ." (Luke 2:26)

Now look at the "coincidence" I mentioned earlier with the prophetess Anna:

" And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law," (Luke 2:27)

Simeon goes to the Temple just as Joseph and Mary arrive there.

" Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said," (Luke 2:28)

" Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:" (Luke 2:29)

And of course, God spoke peace to the shepherds who witnessed the birth of Jesus.

The Lord uses people regardless of their age. Mary was very young, and Simeon and Anna were very old.

In summary, the Lord spoke:

-- To three men:

Zacharias, Joseph, and Simeon

-- To three women:

Anna, Mary, and Elizabeth.

-- And to the shepherds.

The reason I say this is because:

" There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

Jesus came to restore order and correct the damage and all injustice that sin had caused to the world. The Lord was the first to restore women to society, who at that time were objects of trade. To understand, a woman's testimony could not be taken into account in a court of law, even if she was an eyewitness to a murder!

And only a man could give a divorce, and for the slightest reason!

So the Lord, through Simeon, spoke peace, but what peace exactly?

" And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (Luke 2:10)

" For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

" And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." (Luke 2:12)

" And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying," (Luke 2:13)

" Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:14)

The peace that the heavenly host sang about was not peace among men, but peace between God and men. Jesus said:

" Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34)

The angels rejoiced that the war between God and man was over.

Simeon speaks a prophetic word directly to Mary, which I believe also has to do with peace:

" And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him." (Luke 2:33)

" And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;" (Luke 2:34)

" (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." (Luke 2:35)

In other words, what Simeon is saying is that Jesus will come as a stumbling stone for many, and many will fall before Him, because He will reveal the thoughts of the hearts of men.

Mary also understands that not everything will be rosy. Pain and difficulties await her, because in the middle of his speech, Simeon stops, looks her in the eyes and says to her that:

"...Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also..."

This prophecy was fulfilled when Mary stood before her crucified son. And Jesus even said to her:

" When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" (John 19:26)

" Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." (John 19:27)

Do you know what we understand from this? That her husband Joseph was already dead. Jesus would have never told her to go home with another man if her husband was still alive. So, Mary loses her husband Joseph, becomes a widow, and then loses her son.

So all of this was prophesied, and these prophecies are so accurate, that only God could have done it.

The message we get here from Christmas is that even in the midst of difficulties, we can have peace, because the prince of peace has come:

" For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

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So 2000 years ago, Jesus came into the world to offer us:

-- Salvation,

-- Grace and favor,

-- Blessings and guidance,

-- Joy,

-- Redemption

-- Peace

Amen!