Devotional 12-3-13

Believe

In recent years a popular retailer began using “Believe” in their advertising. Of course it is in regards to “Believing” that you may receive a particular gift.  

What gift do we “Believe” that we will receive? In the Old Testament the Prophet Isaiah foretold of the birth of a little child that would lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)   In the early church “a rule of faith” (1) emerged in the Apostles Creed, what those of the church ‘Believe.” In the second line of the Apostles Creed it says that we “Believe” in “… Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.” This of course is the birth of the little child that Isaiah prophesied many years before.

The birth of a little child that would grow into a man, who would lead people by giving his life for each and every one.  He is our salvation only if we will “Believe”!!

The birth of Jesus Christ is our gift from our Father God.  Do you “Believe”??? 

Grace and Peace,

Fred Herr

Readings for Fred’s Devotional:

Isaiah 11:1-6, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Peaceful Kingdom

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.  The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

Luke 1:26-35

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He 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 ancestor David.  He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”  The angel said to 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 holy; he will be called Son of God.

The Apostles Creed 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth; 

And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried;

the third day he rose from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen. 

Fred Herr