Sign significant

It is a sign for King Ahaz, king of Judah who was petrified because the king of Aram and king of Israel have united to fight against him. Ahaz was not a good king who did evil in the eyes of the Lord. But the Lord out of his covenant promise to David, vows to protect Judah. God asks Ahaz to demand for a sign, the most difficult, the most improbable one. Ahaz for his own reasons doesn't comply.

Then God Himself says -

Isa:7:14 The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Look the virgin will conceive a child. She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel which means God is with us.

V:16 For before the child is old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will be deserted.

The most improbable sign is fulfilled years later in Jesus Christ, when Mary asked - But how can this happen? I am a virgin.

The only valid sign, the only relevant sign is Jesus. Luke:11:30 What happened to him (Jonah) was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God has sent him. What happens to the Son of man will be a sign to these people that he was sent by God.

The only sign relevant is this -

Phil:2:6-8

Though He was God

He did not think of equality with God

As something to cling to

Instead He gave up His divine privileges

He took the humble position of a slave

And was born as a human being

When He appeared in human form

He humbled Himself in obedience to God

And died a criminal's death on a cross.

Look into the history. Look into the explanations. Look into the conclusoona. Jesus, Immanuel is the only sign significant.

Comments

why fear

What has been entrusted

1Tim:6:20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Each of us have been given these entrustments. It can be family; it can be privileges and opportunities; it can be blessings in this world; or knowledge or insight from God; it can be your job; it can a good habit. Whatever you can think of- it is a gift from God entrusted to you. Guard it. Value it. Cherish it and take care of it with utmost thankfulness and seriousness. When you think of people, who do not have what you have, it fills you with gratitude to God. And you take care of it with seriousness; without a careless attitude. That will take away the routine mundane boredom to deal with it. Contentment is the key to gratitude. The truth to realise is - that you have been given. That you have been gifted. The reality is that all you have is not what you deserved. Therefore do not take these lightly. You have been just kept as a steward, not as an owner of what you "have". A steward does not deserve....

Work hard, rather than hardly work

If a man will not work; he shall not eat. 2Thess:3:10 Work hard. Whatever is entrusted to you. Be it physical labour or be it a white collar job sitting in the AC. Be it studying or be it organising things. Be it a small thing that you take up or a bread winning job. Be genuine and hard working. An idle man is not deserving of any wages. An idle man is complacent and proud. An idle man is discontented and dissatisfied. Where as a hard working man is grateful for what he has got. He knows that he has got in his plate is not something he deserves. Let money not be the motivation factor too, for working hard. Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. So wash your plates genuinely. When you clean the table and set near your room, let God's name be glorified. As unto the Lord, may you do it. When you treat a patient or build a house or develop a programme or play the fiddle, let it be genuine, let it bring a smile on Jesus' face, let it bring glory to the Father. Not ...

Godliness

Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1Tim:4:8 Godliness is God orientedness. It is bringing God in every equation. It is trusting in God in every situation. That is the real fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. That will bring promise both for the present life and for the life to come. It makes life simpler. In the middle of tumultuous waves, it brings peace. For the creator, sustainer God is with you in the boat, then why worry! God is with you, is the greatest promise you can have. Are you with God?

Contentment

But Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1Tim:6:6 Contentment is being happy with what you have. Contentment is the opposite to greed; covetousness; dissatisfaction; wanting for more. Godliness coupled with contentment is great gain. A surity that God would provide for all my needs. An assurance that God would supply all my needs according to His riches and glory. That He is Jehovah Jireh and I need not worry about my needs. He will take care. This will also help you to give. Like the widow who put the two copper coins which is all that she had. Knowing fully that her God would provide. Cheerfully we can give. Whether in surplous or in nothingness. Knowing for sure that God loves a cheerful giver, we can give happily. Knowing for sure that He would give back, in good measure, pressed down, shaken together. And finally you will be free from greed. It starts well - planning, money orientedness, ultimately leading to compromising on many important things just t...

God

1Tim:1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen. Eternal. Not created. The Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End. Who exists from time immemorial to time endless. Immortal. No death. Nor does He succumb to decay. Not defined by rules of the end. Who exists beyond. Invisible. Not the age old concept of God is there in everything. Not even the unseen guest of our home. But the omnipresent. He is the Only God. To Him be the honour and glory forever and ever.

Cleanse

If a man cleansed himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy and useful for the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee from the evil desires of the youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. 2Tim:2:21-22 Cleanse yourself from ignoble things and set yourself apart for noble things. Why concentrate on the evil desires of the youth when you have more richer things to pursue - like righteousness, faith, love and peace. Make yourself useful for the Master in the way you can; concentrating on being holy and doing things for the Kingdom. Why waste your time and energy in useless browsing, meaningless chatter and harmful quarrels. Pursue godly things. Unless you feed yourself with godly things, there is no pursuing noble things. If you feed yourself with ignoble things you will persist to pursue ignoble uselss things. Image courtesy: https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/clean-vs-cleanse-difference-usage

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