The pjstubbs64's Podcast

2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

    who will shepherd my people Israel.”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

This story is often referred to as the Three Wise Men. Singing “We Three Kings of Orientar”, gives a special Christmassy sense of mystery, adventure,  and the exotic. But where were the Three Kings from?  Well, many Chinese Christians believe that one of the magi came from China. And various traditions of the Church name the three members, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar.

After visiting the Christ Child St. Matthew’s gospel tells us that the three wise men, “being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, departed to their own country by another way” (Matthew 2:12).

One tradition claims that after leaving Bethlehem, they travelled to India and built a chapel on the Hill of Vaus. Each year they returned to this chapel and prayed to God that they would be baptised before they died.

One year they heard of a disciple of Jesus preaching in India. It was St. Thomas, and they went to find him. After telling him the story of their visit to the baby Jesus, Thomas told them the Gospel message. Then he baptised them and later ordained them priests and bishops. 

The three wise men, or Magi, travelled a great distance when they saw the “Star”. The Jews believed that a heavenly sign announced the birth of a new king. 

Many Christians believe the star was a miraculous sign and fulfilled a prophecy, known as the Star Prophecy, and Astronomers have made several attempts to link the star to a celestial event, such as a comet. 

Whatever it was, it caused the three travellers to go on a significant journey, and at the end of it, they found Jesus. What journey are you on? Do you know what to follow or how to find a way in life? Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. And you are freely invited to follow him. 

The apostle,Paul liked his lists. Listen, because you are God’s chosen people, clothe yourselves with or have a kind of character that shows:-

1. Compassion

Seven things. But then Paul adds another, which he actually says is over all the rest. 

He says, “put on love, which binds them all together in perfect harmony”.

In another part of the Bible, Paul writes a list of what love is, and what love isn’t. 

1. Love is patient, 

Sixteen in that list. Double the previous passage! And finishes with that statement, Love never fails. Now I think, love never fails to be the most important thing.

Did you know, you can be amazing at lots of things, you could be a brilliant cook, or great mechanic. Or the best musician or even a great preacher, but actually if you don’t have love, you are nothing and what you accomplish is pointless. A Black Eyed Peas song title is “Where is the Love?”, and if you have to ask that question, there’s probably a problem!

A proverb goes like this  - A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate. (P15:17)

This passage in Colossians is also about relationships. It’s about all the virtuous things in Paul’s list being bound together by one thing, which is love.

It talks about unity. It talks about peace ruling in your hearts, that’s all of us. It uses the analogy of us all being parts of a body, in other words, we are dependent on one another. 

And we are called to peace. 

There’s an image of community, the family community, and the community that we can have with God, this relationship with Christ. That’s why Paul writes “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

The “message of Christ is a message that runs throughout the Bible. Christ said, all the commandments, including the laws and rules, can be summed up like this - Love God and love your neighbour. If we do that, everything else falls into place.

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul writes about having various gifts, (tongues of angels, prophecy, knowledge, faith to move mountains) but without love, they are nothing and he gains nothing.

Then, from verse 4, he gives a list of what love is and what love is not: - 

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails, paraphrasing, but everything else will fail, because we only know part of the story, but one day we will know it all! 

I always thought i could add a few things to Pauls “love list”, like: -

Love makes you strong, but it can also make you weak.

Love makes you brave, but it can also make you scared.

It motivates but can also hold you back. 

It’s hard to live with or live without. Without it we would never know true happiness, or the deep loneliness of love lost. It sets a standard for life, but it’s very hard to get over, if we lose it. 

The group Nazareth had a song called Love hurts. These are the lyrics: - 

Love hurts, love scars

Love wounds and marks

Any heart

Not tough or strong enough

To take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain

Love is like a cloud

Holds a lot of rain

Love hurts

Ooh, ooh, love hurts

And the fact is, however, blissful love is, one day it will hurt. But God knows, and He will make you ready, promises that you can face that hardship, if you hold on to Him.

It’s a relatively new religious feast day and was added in 1925 by Pope Pius XI

One passage from the bible that goes with the day is Psalm 11:-

1 In the Lord I take refuge.

    How then can you say to me:

    “Flee like a bird to your mountain.

2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;

    they set their arrows against the strings

to shoot from the shadows

    at the upright in heart.

3 When the foundations are being destroyed,

    what can the righteous do?”

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;

    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.

He observes everyone on earth;

    his eyes examine them.

5 The Lord examines the righteous,

    but the wicked, those who love violence,

    he hates with a passion.

6 On the wicked he will rain

    fiery coals and burning sulfur;

    a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the Lord is righteous,

    he loves justice;

    the upright will see his face.

It starts off, like many psalms, by proclaiming how we can take refuge, or find safety, security and peace, in our relationship with God. “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Psalm 23 or “Fear not for I am with you, Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10. Are similar promises about God’s goodness. 

But verse 2 goes on to remind us that good people have enemies. Throughout history, bad people, the “wicked” have wanted to cause hardship to good people, the “upright in heart”. 

This psalm says , He observes everyone on Earth. His eyes examine them. That’s everyone, good and bad. It says God hates those who love violence, and there’s a pretty strong punishment ahead for them, involving fiery coals and burning sulphur. 

It’s an interesting, simple but common theme. God is good, will protect you, but He hates wickedness, violence, etc, and will punish. 

I guess most people think this world is pretty unjust. Today, on Christ The King Day, we celebrate the fact that one day He will return to Earth and reign as King of Kings forever, and the mess that our earthly leaders seem to make, will be cleaned up. The violent and wicked will be punished and there will be justice. That’s what we look forward to and why in many churches, the “feast of Christ the King” is celebrated today.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you

    from the fowler’s snare

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

    ten thousand at your right hand,

    but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes

    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”

    and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10 no harm will overtake you,

    no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you

    to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;

    I will be with him in trouble,

    I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him

    and show him my salvation.”

Hiding Place Psalm 143:8

In this world of increasing electronic surveillance, privacy can be hard to find. In the Bible, God refers to Himself as a place of refuge, or hiding place. And He promises protection and peace to those who seek Him. An awareness of God’s presence comes through worship and the Psalm writer, David, brings this out many times in his writing. Here are some examples: -

Psalm 143 - Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For I trust in You.

Teach me the way in which I should walk,

For I lift up my soul to You.

9 Rescue me, O Lord, from my enemies;

I take refuge (or hide) in You.

10 Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You],

For You are my God;

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

11 Save my life, O Lord, for Your name’s sake;

In Your righteousness bring my life out of trouble.

Psalm 32:6-7

Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately.[b]

When great floodwaters come,

they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;

you protect me from trouble.

You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.Selah

Psalm 31:19-24 

You are wonderful,

    and while everyone watches,

you store up blessings for all

    who honor and trust you.

20 You are their shelter

    from harmful plots,

and you are their protection

    from vicious gossip.

Everyone needs some shelter from the pressure and anxiety of modern life. Psalm 32 goes on to say - 

22 I was terrified and thought,

“They've chased me

    far away from you!”

But you answered my prayer

    when I shouted for help.

So, if you’re looking for shelter for the pressure of life, take 5 minutes, find a quiet place and say a prayer to God, Lord just let me experience Your peace, so i know there’s shelter to be found in you.

Bless you. Stay safe, and have a peaceful day.

3 This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer,[a] he desires a noble work.” 2 An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy. 4 He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap.

Philippians 4:12-14

12 I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need. 13 I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.] 14 Nevertheless, it was right of you to share [with me] in my difficulties.

A lot of Christians know and quote Philipians 4:13 as being a favourite or significant verse in their lives. In most Bible versions it says “I can do all things through Him (or Christ) who strengthens me”. But I heard a pastor once say, can you run a mile without training? He went on to say, the original Greek could be translated as “I can face all things through Him who strengthens me”. That, I can understand, and even bear witness to. I have had to face all sorts of hard things, and I know you have too. And I look back and know that I only got through those things because God was with me. But the Amplified version of the Bible, with its fuller translation of the original text, says “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]”

Yes, I think we can say, I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me. I work for a Christian organisation and, whether it’s sending shoebox gifts to children in impossible places or medical aid into a warzone, time and time again God comes through faithful, and the “impossible” happens. 

Paul wrote, in verse 12, “In any and every circumstances, I’ve learnt the secret of facing life”. Whether that’s in loss and sadness, or shortage of food, money or heating, or difficulty in a job or in a relationship, God says, you can face it, because He will strengthen you. And if you’ve got a vision to do something seemingly impossible, this verse is still true, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.