LITN II, Verses 8 - 20
8. As it turned out, there were some nomadic shepherds who had set up camp out in the nearby fields to keep watch over their flocks throughout the night.
9. And as they sat, sleepy, silent and still, an angel...a celestial being...just manifested right in front of their surprised eyes. At the angel's appearance, the very glory of God completely enveloped them, glowing and vibrating like an intense, electric force field, and they were utterly shocked and terrified.
10. But the angel spoke immediately and authoritatively, saying to them, "Do not be afraid! I am here to announce good news to you...good news of a great and joyful event, and of a new reality! And this good news...this new reality...is for all people everywhere...it is for the entirety of humanity!
11. This very night a Savior has been born in the City of David...a Savior who will perfectly embody the Christ, and will be known as the Lord!
12. If you seek Him you will find Him...and this is what you're to look for: a baby swaddled in a blanket, and lying in a feeding trough for animals!"
13. As soon as the angel made this declaration, the sky above the shepherds' heads lit up, and was filled with a seemingly infinite number of angels who formed a thunderous, mass choir, singing God's praises, and shouting,
14. "GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST PARTS OF THE HEAVENLY REALM...AND IN THE EARTHLY DIMENSION, PEACE...PEACE TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THE EARTH...AND A REVELATION TO THEM THAT GOD'S WILL TOWARD ALL OF HUMANITY IS ONLY GOOD!"
15. And then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone. When the stunned shepherds eventually regained their composure, they said to one another, "Well, let's go to Bethlehem right now and see for ourselves this thing that the Lord has revealed to us!"
16. And they did just that, leaving the sheep, the campsite, and all of their belongings behind. They literally took off running, all the way into the city, and were able to locate the stable. And, sure enough, there they found Mary and Joseph, and, lying in the trough as the angel had said, the infant Savior.
17. They gazed at Him, transfixed, for an indefinite period of time, until they eventually felt released to go. But as they returned to their campsite, they told everyone with whom they came into contact what they had just witnessed.
18. And their delivery of the news was so compelling that all who encountered them on their way were simply amazed at how these common shepherds...men who were normally quiet, isolated and reserved......carried on about what they had just seen.
19. But Mary was not as expressive...she just remained silent and contemplative, treasuring up all the mysteries of the night in her heart, and thinking about what the future would hold for her newborn baby boy.
20. The shepherds returned to their campsite and their sheep, but they couldn't settle down for the rest of the night. They praised and glorified God on into the morning light for all the things they had heard and seen. Everything that the angel had told them was true.
10 comments:
I love the imagery in my head of the shepherds just doing their thing and getting this info from an angel...with physical shaking and unusual experience...they were freaked out, they were frozen and listened, they composed themselves and said "let's go see".
They were simple shepherds...they heard the Great News first...
Mary & Joseph were simple folk...they heard the Great News first...
We are simple folk....we get to hear and know and love and be loved in the Great News always!
We are just who we were meant to be. HE shares the Great News with those of us who listen, and we move on it, those of us who hear.
To have heard like the shepherds and leave their flock...whaaat >??They went to check it out, they came back and couldn't rest, but Praised all night into the light!
What have we done, lately?
Peace,
Northern Light
Bishop, maybe for a lot of reasons, LITN is really exactly what I want to read/hear right now. The re-entry has been a bit bumpy and this phrasing of Luke smooths it out. Thank you.
Was feeling flat, and these two latest entries remind me exactly what Northern Light echoes, right where we are at, in who we simply are, is where God’s presence is most evident and tactile. It is the vibration, the raw reality in our present tense, enveloped by the Good News,… ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, 98.6. Yes, that is what LITN connects to , 98.6 for the entirety of humanity. –
"GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST PARTS OF THE HEAVENLY REALM...AND IN THE EARTHLY DIMENSION, PEACE...PEACE TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THE EARTH...AND A REVELATION TO THEM THAT GOD'S WILL TOWARD ALL OF HUMANITY IS ONLY GOOD!"
Everything the Angel(s) tell us IS true. Amen !
Just watched You Tube of Kirk Franklin in Uganda these last few days. His band has gone through the unrest there. I am thankful the natural elements (floods, flies. and politics) were subdued when we were there. I pray for Uganda and our family there that all are safe. The Spirit of Peace is at the center of all hearts for the most progressive nation in Africa that is an example to the other nations there of peace and communication, and beneficial resolution of any conflict.
Uganda is a forward thinking nation with proud heritage that promotes cooperation among all viewpoints that manifests peaceful and energizing growth and prosperity that comes with a productive society that Uganda is.
Mornin' Lord Bishop!
I pray a beautiful and exciting flow of the Spirit over thee and thine.
word ver:impode
makes me think of the word "implode" instead of "explode"
WOW. What a service!!! I could not stay seated. I just kept jumping up, throwing my hands in the air and screaming "that is right! that is RIGHT! Hallelujah!!!" Glory!!! AWESOME!
Thanks for spreading the good news of FREEDOM!!!
Jere Luck
Today's service was so in the Now, I wanted to post or blog the first sunday that Cathedral was ITB with us,however words couldn't describe that thing that THE HOLY SPIRIT did. So I dreamed of a sculpture that says every word that escaped me, hope you like it. I'll bring it Wednesday for you to see. When my daughter-in-law saw it she said can CITN be rearranged to stand for See I Do a New Thing (CINT). By the way she's been in none of the services with the Cathedral so far. Is that Holy Ghost speaking through her? Or maybe Cathedral in the NOW, I digress.
Bishop, love the imagery in LITN. I've been reading it and I feel like I'm there. Today Jesus and John or (D.E. and Bishop)taught us that God is ALL GOOD! Selah.
Today I am so proud to be a member of this consensus of people who brought today’s message. I have so many times thanked God for the privilege of being part of CITN, and especially thankful in these last few weeks to be part of The Cathedral of The Holy Spirit AND CITN.
The clarity spoken today was a result of these last few weeks, and the combination of CITN and The Cathedral of The Holy Spirit. Today was YES!.
I understand that CITN and The Cathedral of The Holy Spirit do not know what the future will be. I can say this though, today would not have been possible without our being together today. I have been witness to many great things, Praise God ! Today, not only a witness but part of, tears of satisfaction, of my heart seeing manifest what it knows, was throughout the service.
I realize there may be reasons why this combination cannot continue, I want it to, but I trust God for whatever it may be. I celebrate today, and know more than I ever have that I am in the place that I have sought, to see, to experience, and Thanks to God to be a real part of, this expression of the present that is unrestrained.
Religion has tried to become God, and has always failed. Today was one expression of saying religion has no clothes, while describing the grand fashion of God that has design, fashions, and colors beyond any limitation.
The paths we have ALL, every person from CITN and The Cathedral of The Holy Spirit that pull from Bishop and Pastor D.E., and have over the years, now here or not , have honed this morning , ALL guided and placed by HS.
YES!
Today was so Now that words can't even express it. I wish this could go on and on, I'll just put that out there. It was so real to my heart that I just wanted to jump up and run around the church. Counting down until next Sunday.
V.20..."but they couldn't settle down for the rest of the night"...
No doubt! I like the way LITN affirms what its like to have an encounter with the unfolding of a pivotal event in the plans of God!
12. "If you seek Him you will find Him" Period. All we have to do is make an effort to seek Him and we'll find Him.
16. "They literally took off running..." I love that the "quiet, isolated and reserved" (vs. 18) sheperds "got it"...it became real to them.
19. "But Mary was not as expressive...she just remained silent and contemplative, treasuring up all the mysteries of the night in her heart, and thinking about what the future would hold for her newborn baby boy." Breath of Heaven (Mary's song) came to mind when I read this verse... I love that song.
Lindsey P.
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