Roy Lessin/Meet Me in the Meadow

[Judy Harder]

Meaning of the Incarnation

He takes my nature that He may descend to me;
He gives me His nature that I may ascend to Him.

-Octavius Winslow



"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matthew 1:23

Immanuel means that God (Deity) came to be with us (Humanity). God did not come to us as an idea, a concept, a philosophy, or an ideal. He didn't come as the sun, the moon, or a star. He didn't come as a statue or an untouchable being. He came to us as a man. He took on human flesh. Jesus Christ is completely God and completely man.

God with us—not in heaven, not out of touch or out of reach, not a phantom, not a shadow, not a legend or a myth; God with us in grace, in truth, in mercy; God with us in human flesh, touchable, seeable, knowable.

Love breathing, love giving, love caring, love dying. Walking where we walk, crying our tears, knowing our pain, feeling our grief, bearing our sorrows.

God with us—in the manger, in the temple, on the road, by the well, in the boat, upon the hillside, in the home, at the table; healing the sick, feeding the hungry, comforting those who mourn.; speaking to the multitude and seeking out the individual; with arms extended, with words that beckon, with a voice that calls, "Come unto Me."

God with us—to believe in, to follow, to proclaim, to seek, to worship, to love, to cherish forever!

[Judy Harder]

What Did You Get for Christmas?
Dec 27, 2012 08:16 am | Roy


If we could use our imagination and travel back in time to ask Joseph and Mary "What did you get for Christmas?" their answer might sound something like this...

"Well, we didn't get any high-tech headphones, but we did hear the sound of angel's voices in our ears.

We didn't get any bestselling books to read, but we did receive the fulfillment of the Scriptures written by the prophets centuries ago.

We didn't get a new mp3 music player to carry about, but we did get a new song planted within our hearts to go with us each day.

We didn't get a new HDTV to watch, but our eyes did behold the glory of the Lord and the beauty of holiness upon His face.

We didn't get new clothes, but we were freely given a robe of righteousness that will never soil or need to be exchanged.

We didn't get the latest GPS devise to help us find our way, but we have been shown the pathway that our feet need to follow.

We didn't get a vibrating easy chair to help us relax, but we were given the peace that passes all understanding that guards our hearts and minds.

We didn't get any exciting video games to play, but we were filled with awe, wonder, and amazement because of the gift that is too wonderful for words.

We didn't get an invitation to a fabulous Christmas party, but we did receive reservations to a wedding banquet that will be the greatest celebration of them all."

And may I ask...what did you get for Christmas?

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 NKJV

[Judy Harder]

Light of the World
Dec 28, 2012 04:00 am | Roy


Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." John 8:12 NKJV



The world is a dark place, but there is a Light that shines brighter than any lighthouse and can save any battered vessel from being smashed against the rocks of sin. The light of Jesus will always take you out the darkness of selfishness, evil, fear, confusion, bondage, and dead religion. There are many false lights who say, "Look to me. Listen to me. Follow me." But as we heed the voice of false lights we only go deeper into the darkness.

When Moses built the Temple, he followed God's pattern. There was an outer court which had the natural light of the sun; there was the inner court which had the light of the Menorah; there was the holy of holies which had the light of the glory of God.

The glory of God was the light of His presence. The light that Jesus brings to us can only come from His presence within us. Jesus said that His light is the light of life. He lights up the deepest place within us—where we live, move, and have our being. When His light is in us we are spiritually alive. His light in us means that every step we take is a step of life. Following His light doesn't rob us, it restores us; it doesn't weaken us, it strengthens us; it doesn't sadden us, it gladdens us.

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV

[Judy Harder]

A Sunday Scripture
Dec 30, 2012 12:20 am | incourage




The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!"
Lamentations 3:22-24

[Judy Harder]

The Only One
Dec 31, 2012 04:00 am | Roy


The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed. Psalm 2:2

There is only one Anointed One, only one Messiah, and only one Savior that God recognizes. All of these names are found in one person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

For many years, if a manufacturer wanted to make sure his product would be accepted by the public as legitimate, reliable, and dependable, he would seek to receive the Good Housekeeping seal of approval.

God's Anointed One means that Jesus Christ has received God's divine seal of approval. God will never give that approval to anyone else. Every other god, ruler, religious leader, or self-anointed savior has been completely rejected by God. God's Anointed One means that you have found the right One to believe in, to worship, and to follow. Follow Him now. Follow Him every moment. Follow Him in all things. Follow Him with gladness into a new year.

[Judy Harder]

A New Year's Benediction

May the coming year be one of increased riches of grace—hearing His voice more clearly, knowing His heart more deeply, resting in His love more fully, trusting His care more completely, walking His pathway more peacefully, knowing His presence more intimately, blessed by His goodness more abundantly.

And in all things, may you know the shalom peace of God—encouraging you to move forward, empowering you to boldly take each step, greeting you as you turn a new corner, calming your heartbeat as you walk through dark valleys, softening each footstep as you climb rugged mountains, and increasing your courage as you follow your Shepherd wherever He leads.

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. Psalm 65:11-12 NLT

[Judy Harder]

Living Like Jesus In 2013
Jan 02, 2013 04:00 am | Roy


Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6 NLT

How did Jesus live each day? Is it really possible for us to live as He lived? Here are five things to consider:

The first is His dependency.

So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way. John 5:19 AMP

Jesus lived each day dependent upon His Father. He did not live independently, think independently, or act independently of His Father. He spoke what His Father wanted Him to say and He did what His Father wanted Him to do. He received from His Father all He needed for each day.

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:5 AMP

We can also live each day in complete dependency upon the Lord. He is our strength, our life, our sufficiency, and He is the source of all we need.

The second is His faithfulness.

Think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God's messenger and High Priest.For He was faithful to God, who appointed Him. Hebrews 3:1-2 NLT

Jesus lived each day in faithfulness to what His Father called Him to do. Jesus stayed true to His Father's plan and will for His life. He didn't drift away from it or follow it half-heartedly.

'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' Matthew 25:23 NKJV

As followers of Jesus Christ we can be faithful to what God has called us to do and do His will whole-heartedly.

The third is His obedience.

"Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." Luke 22:42 NKJV

Jesus lived each day in obedience to His Father's will. Jesus not only obeyed His Father, but He obeyed Him without delay. He obeyed willingly and joyfully.

So you must live as God's obedient children. 1 Peter 1:14 NLT

Obedience to God's will in our lives is a choice we can make each day. As God's children, He trains us to be obedient because He knows what is best for us. It is through our obedience that we know the meaning of a joy-filled heart and a meaningful life.

The fourth thing is His motivation.

And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him. John 8:29 NKJV

The reason Jesus lived the way He did was because He wanted to fully glorify and please His Father. He lived to please only His Father and have His approval.

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:9 NKJV

The motivation of our hearts should be to please Him. There is nothing higher than that. When we live to do what is well pleasing in His sight we will know His smile of approval upon our lives.

The fifth thing is His enabling.

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit's power.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free." Luke 4:14, 18 NLT

Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.   Jesus lived each day in the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. All that He did in His public ministry was under the anointing and enabling of the Holy Spirit.

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:27 NKJV

Be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 KJV

Since His ascension to the right hand of the Father, Jesus has made it possible for each of us to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to have His power in our lives. It is by the Holy Spirit's presence, fullness, and power that we can walk as Jesus walked and live as Jesus lived. Ask Him now to fill you, empower you, and lead you step by step into His plan and purpose for you in 2013.

 

[Judy Harder]

The Full Expression of Love
Jan 04, 2013 04:00 am | Roy


May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Ephesians 3:19 NLT



His Righteousness is the character of love;

His Holiness is the beauty of love;

His Omnipotence is the power of love;

His Omnipresence is the nearness of love;

His Omniscience is the mind of love;

His Judgment is the protection of love;

His Grace is the favor of love;

His Goodness is the practice of love;

His Kindness is the attitude of love;

His Care is the tenderness of love;

His Majesty is the glory of love;

His Giving is the expression of love;

His Peace is the rest of love;

His Joy is the celebration of love.

[Judy Harder]

Seeing Jesus
Jan 07, 2013 04:00 am | Roy


"We would see Jesus." John 12:21 KJV

When we look upon the life of Jesus Christ in the light of Scripture, there is so much for the eyes of our spirits to see, so much for our hungry hearts to feed upon, so much for our thirsty souls to drink, and so much for our faith to receive.

In Jesus we see the forgiveness of our sins through His redeeming work;

We see the wealth of our inheritance through the riches of His grace;

We see the fulfillment of our hopes through the glory of His resurrection;

We see victory and spiritual authority through His ascension to the right hand of the Father;

We see great grace and power through His outpouring of the Holy Spirit;

We see confidence in prayer through the sprinkling of His blood upon heaven's mercy seat;

We see help in times of trial and need through His continuing ministry of prayer as our High Priest;

We see gift upon gift, mercy upon mercy, and favor upon favor through His endless supply of blessing after blessing.

[Judy Harder]

Today is Your Best Day (A Special Giveaway!)
Jan 08, 2013 04:00 am | Mandy


Hi there!

Happy New Year! We have an exciting giveaway to offer you today! The wonderful folks over at New Leaf Publishing Group, the publisher of Today is Your Best Day, have offered Meet Me in the Meadow readers 50 free digital copies of the book! To win, you must have an iPad or iPhone and agree to write a short review of the book once you've completed it on the book's product page found at Amazon.

If you are interested in receiving a free copy, we encourage you to sign up below! The first 50 readers to sign up will receive a special code to download a free digital copy.

If you do not own an iPad or iPhone, we'd still like to offer you a chance to win a free PDF copy of the book! Just choose  the PDF Copy Giveaway option in the sign up form below. We'll announce the 10 winners next Tuesday, the 15th and anyone is eligible to win– regardless of your location.

With the beginning of a new year, I'd like to share a short excerpt from Today is Your Best Day on new beginnings.



Today Is Your Best Day Because Of Newness

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Today is your best day because God has exchanged your old way of life for a new way of life. In Jesus, everything in your life takes on a new beginning. Your past sins no longer stand against you, and a holy life is now before you. Your new life means that the way you used be, is not the way you have to be.

Your new life is not based upon your determination, but on God's transformation.

It is not about making resolutions to do better or following certain steps for self-improvement. God didn't try to improve you; rather, He renewed you and made you a new creation in Christ.

God did not take your old way of life and try to patch it up, or build it up. He did something far better. He brought an end to your old way of life by crucifying it on the cross with Christ.

Through the cross, God has dealt with everything in your life that was a hindrance to your relationship with Him.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NKJV

And now for the Giveaway! Just enter your information in the form below.
If you are receiving this through email and do not see the form below, please click HERE to access the giveaway form.

Thanks to each of you for entering!

God bless,
Mandy