A King's Christmas - Frankincense by Pastor Steve Dow on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025

Frankincense: The Path to God's Presence and Healing The gift of frankincense brought by the wise men was a prophetic declaration that the Christ child is the Great High Priest who would stand between sinful humanity and a sinless God, opening our direct access to the throne room. Frankincense, tied closely to the Old Testament altar of incense, symbolizes worship, prayer, and the atmosphere of God's presence. In this powerful message, Pastor Steve Dow explains how Jesus, our High Priest, uses the "fragrance" of our frankincense to bring profound healing to our lives. The healing power of Christ's high priesthood is seen as He heals us from: -- Shame - The gift of frankincense at the altar covered the smell of sin; the blood of Jesus cleanses our sin, and His presence heals our shame, bringing redemption and restoration. -- Brokenness and Bitterness - Frankincense is aromatic and changes the atmosphere; when we bring this gift, the atmosphere of bitterness, broken relationships, and old arguments can be removed and reconciled. -- Anxiety and Fear - Historically used for medicine, to soothe, and to relieve stress, the frankincense of our prayer and worship invites God's peace, which passes all understanding, to guard our hearts and minds. We bring our frankincense to Jesus today through: -- Worship - Surrendering our hearts and acknowledging Him as King and High Priest in every circumstance, even through tears and confusion. -- Prayer - Maintaining a fresh and vibrant relationship with God, knowing that every whispered prayer rises like incense into His presence. -- Surrender - Coming to God on His terms, yielding our relationships, secret sins, addictions, bitterness, and diagnoses to His will. Scriptures for Further Study -- Exodus -- Matthew 2 -- Hebrews 4:14 -- Revelation 5:8 -- Isaiah 53:4-5 -- Hebrews 4:15-16 -- Philippians 4 -- 1 Timothy 3:16 +++++++ You can find our service times on our website: https://www.anctally.com/ You can find sermon highlights on Twitter here: https://x.com/allnationstally