Thy Word:

“John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

Matthew 3:4-10 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

As we read the physical description of John the Baptist, it’s a little tempting to think words like “homeless,” “hobo,” maybe even “a little crazy.” I can’t help but wonder would I give him more than a second glance? Would I determine the value of what he said based only on what my eyes could see? Or would I close my eyes and listen carefully to what he said with my heart?

In spite of John’s radical looks, we see people came from all around the region to hear him and, most importantly, they believed what he said, they confessed their sins, and were baptized! They were hungry for a change! John was giving them something they weren’t receiving from their Jewish leaders: answers to questions, but most important, he was showing them how to receive forgiveness from their sins to gain peace.

These same people probably attended temple and made sacrifices as was required by law. But I believe they had grown weary of the constant condemnation of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They may have done their best to obey the laws but the laws changed frequently and it seemed the only thing they gained from the leaders was a sense of hopelessness and futility.

Their lives may have been filled with the best possessions, the finest foods, the most entertaining and elite of friends, but in spite of all of that, there was something missing. Although John didn’t fit into their genteel or elite society, he had answers and his messages made sense. What they heard from John was if they made sincere changes in their lives they would not only receive forgiveness, but they would be ready for what was coming: the Messiah, the King of kings!

John shocked a lot of people when he spoke strong truth with outrageous bravery. He boldly told the highest Jewish officials not to rely on their heritage or status, their education or possessions, because none of that was going to save them from God’s wrath or condemnation! John told them in no uncertain terms, they too had to repent and prepare themselves for the coming Messiah.

But the officials were outraged! Who was this man that he would dare to speak to them in such a way? Their positions of authority, their possessions and wealth, was foundational to their own self-importance and no one was going to take that away from them!

These leaders were “surface people.” Everything looked and sounded good on the outside but there was an awful darkness on the inside of these Jewish leader’s hearts. They no longer worshipped the one true God, they worshipped themselves and what their positions afforded them.

I have a very difficult question for all of us today; have we become surface people too? Do we say the right “Christian-ese” words, dress and parade around in our finest clothing at church? Do we attend all the services and special events, only to sit down in the seat of judgment or self-importance when someone different comes into the church?

Think very carefully about these questions as I share a story about a time I took a seat in the “judgment chair.” This is not a proud moment for me and God humbled me that day, and I’ve never been more ashamed or more grateful for His correction and forgiveness!

It was Easter Sunday and I was a regular church attender so I knew a lot of people. I was going to Bible studies to learn more about God every week, and I was also a regular tither and volunteer. I was dressed in my finest clothes that day because I was volunteering at the information booth and would be seen by a lot of people. I was serving with one of the oldest members of church; a man who was humble from the inside out. We were there to answer questions or provide material about the church to the people who were coming to service that weekend.

Suddenly, a very young and beautiful girl came to the booth and I was completely shocked by her attire. It was so provocative and her heels so high, I wondered how anyone could walk in them! I was literally stunned and couldn’t move or speak, but my mind was in high gear as I began to rapidly judge everything about her. I didn’t just sit in the judgment seat, I self-righteously plopped into it!

My co-volunteer saw her and exclaimed joy as he quickly crossed the booth to greet her. He grasped her hand and said, “I’m so happy to see you! You look beautiful!”

What???? (Praise God that word of shock and outrage stayed inside my head and didn’t escape my lips!)

Do you know what that child said back to him—because she truly was not much more than a child—she glowingly said, “I wore my very best for Jesus today.” Then squeezing my friend’s hand she turned and walked into the sanctuary with her shoulders held high, to sing and worship her King.

I stood there in silence and watched her disappear in the dark of the sanctuary and that self-righteous attitude in my heart began to crumble, because even I could see the purest sincerity of her heart.

Tears began to slide down my face, and my wise friend put his hand on my shoulder and said, “She was rescued a few weeks ago from a sex trafficking ring. Her parents sold her when she was just a small child and she’s been sexually abused for far too many years by some of the richest men in Texas, and from around the world. Because she is so young and beautiful she was sold often.” He paused to let the horror of those words sink into my heart and mind.

Continuing he said, “Yes, everything she is wearing is a reflection of who she was, but today she chose the very best in her closet to worship her rescuer, Jesus Christ. I know many will not approve of her outward appearance today, and we have a woman from the church working with her to make some outward changes, but I can assure you her heart is as pure as the newly fallen snow.”

Can I tell you I have never been so ashamed of myself? Even as I type these words right now tears are flowing once again down my face. I will never forget that life changing moment and that Easter Sunday I sat in the sanctuary and wept for my sin of judgment and pride, because for a few moments that Sunday my heart looked a lot like those Pharisees and Sadducees, but Jesus saw and heard my prayer of regret and He forgave me.

It’s not what we have, it’s not our genealogy, nor is it the finest connections that will prepare us for heaven. It’s not who we were or what we did, or what may have happened to us, it is simply the status of our heart, surrendered to Jesus, and the forgiveness we have received from Him that saves us.

How is your heart? Are you prepared for the return of Jesus Christ?

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!” (Psalm 32:1-3,5,10-11 NLT) In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

 

Thy Word:

“In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ” The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,

“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:1-3‬ NLT

From the prophet Isaiah:
“Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!” Isaiah‬ ‭40:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

*****

My Thoughts: Today’s notes are a little longer than normal, but it’s all important so please stick with me!

The notes of my Bible tell me that almost 30 years have passed since Joseph was told in dreams (at the end of chapter two) that it was safe for his family to return to their homeland.

But suddenly at the beginning of chapter three, we change characters and immediately see John the Baptist burst onto the scene with one main message: Repent!

Note: John the Baptist (JTB) was a relative of Jesus and was specifically sent by God to make a way for Jesus. You can read more about JTB in Mark 1:1-8 and in the gospel of Luke. JTB is not to be confused with John, one of the twelve disciples.

Repent is a word we don’t hear much today—unless we are in a Bible believing, Christ following church or reading our Bibles. Unfortunately, some churches either teach a very “watered” down version of repentance or they do not even discuss it.

Not only that, our sinful nature and the world encourages us to blame someone else for things we have done wrong. We sometimes believe mental illness causes us to sin or make bad choices.

However, I believe it is not nearly as complicated as we try to make it. I believe we sometimes just make bad choices and when we do, there will be consequences, meaning we will have to clean up the mess we made. Cleaning up the mess does NOT mean we are to blame someone else or use mental illness as an excuse.

(Please understand, I am not saying mental illness isn’t real or shouldn’t be addressed. I’m saying pretending we have a mental health condition to excuse a sin, is wrong and usually leads to more sin. Or worse, if we are aware we have a mental condition but refuse to get help for it, there could be a selfish motive involved. Selfish motives, even when mental illness is real, usually lead to more sin.)

What does it mean to repent? It means turning away from our sins. It means making an about face, a 180 degree turn, to get far away from those sins. It might even mean to run as fast as possible from a bad situation and stay away for awhile!

Someone I love once made a decision to literally leave the state and go far away in order to separate himself from a very destructive and addictive lifestyle. Most importantly, his departure separated him from his set of “friends” who encouraged his addiction. He went where he knew no one, and where he had to start all over again with everything. However, that choice caused a renewal of strength and character in his soul from the inside out. Eventually he acquired a new set of friends who weren’t involved in addictions, he surrendered his heart to Jesus, met a godly woman whom he married, and he decisively overcame that destructive lifestyle and addiction. This is a perfect example of choosing and turning (running!) away from sin!

We don’t like to hear it, but sin is wrapped in self-centeredness, it’s all about making decisions to please ourselves above God or any other person. This is what it looks like:

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

A person who repents stops rebelling against God and his fellow man, and instead follows the ways of God. When we choose to turn from our sins, and follow Jesus this is what we produce and others see in our life:

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.” Galatians 5:22-24 NLT

Pretty clear, right? I love the last part of these verses that tell us we are to nail those sins on the cross and leave them there. I don’t know about you, but I like clear direction(s) for how to do things and there is no misunderstanding in these verses about how we are to live or not live. It doesn’t mean we won’t slip up, but when we do, we TURN from the sin and in some cases we might have to run from it!

Here is another important key to help us make right choices: have accountability partners.

Who or what is an accountability partner? A Bible believing, Christ following church, along with people who will come alongside of us and speak Biblical truth with love and grace.

Also, staying close to God means we understand churches don’t provide salvation, Jesus does, but a good Bible believing, Christ following church will help us get to salvation and provide guidance to continue to make right choices and show us how to repent when we make wrong choices.

CAUTION: If you know you need to apologize for a wrong done to someone else, or for bad behavior, and the word “but” is included anywhere in that apology, you just landed back into the “blame-game” sin. When the word “but” is in an apology, it’s simply you trying to justify your bad behavior! So be very careful because if blame is a habit you have formed in your life, you will have to be very intentional about breaking that bad habit/sin.

Finally, here’s the real deal: Jesus is calling you and the first step? It’s to repent.

*****

Closing Prayer: Father God, thank you for this hard lesson today because we know that when we repent of our sins, it allows You to produce far better qualities in our life. I truly want to be the kind of woman who follows hard after You more than I want to satisfy my own personal desires or sins! Bury these truths in my heart today as I go about my day. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

First Steps:

Maybe you find yourself in a place today where you want to surrender your heart to Jesus? Some people want to “wow” us with their theological knowledge and make things complicated, but that is not the message Jesus wanted us to hear or share. I love how the late Billy Graham just told it like it was when he used to travel and preach:

• We are separated from God because of our sins.
• Jesus filled that gap of separation by dying on the cross for us as the last and final blood sacrifice.
• Jesus rose from the grave in three days, and is now with God in Heaven.
• Jesus intercedes for us when we accept and believe in Him as our savior
• We receive all the blessings available to us at the time we say “yes” to Jesus, including forgiveness of our sins (yes, ALL of our sins!).
• And when we leave this world, we will go to heaven and have everlasting life.

If you believe these truths, then please say this simple prayer, also from Billy Graham:

“Dear God,

I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died
for my sin and that you raised Him to life.
I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord,
from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will.

I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer from your heart, praise God, you now have eternal life with Jesus! We are related! The next step is to get involved with other believers so you can grow in your relationship with God, and start that process of repenting. Hallelujah!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thy Word:

‘When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”’ Matthew 2:19-23 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

In these five verses twice Joseph again receives guidance from God in his dreams. From the moment God reveals the news to Joseph about Jesus, God communicated to him via his dreams. What I find to be the most important about this is that Joseph listened carefully.

I can’t help but wonder why I have never taken a closer look at Joseph, Lord? As I have been reading about him he has become so much more important to me! In fact, I find that I want to “paint” a picture of this man to have a much more clear view of him. As I look back through the verses we have read so far, this is what I have learned about this man:

1. Joseph was a righteous man and a man of integrity.
2. Joseph was a carpenter which is not a quiet trade even in our world today! Perhaps the silence of his slumber was  the time God knew Joseph would truly hear His voice?
3. Joseph was a descendant of King David; he was from a royal family line, as was Mary.
4. Joseph was sensitive to God’s guidance and trusted the will of God no matter what the consequences or the difficulty.

My study Bible notes get specific about Joseph’s character, and I believe it was why he was chosen to raise the Son of God. Let me share what the notes say about Joseph:

1. God honors integrity.
2. Social position is of little importance when God chooses to use us.
3. Being obedient to the guidance we receive from God leads to more guidance from God.
4. Feelings are not accurate measures of the rightness or wrongness of an action; faith is the only reliable measure.

Until the day Joseph died, his primary goal was to lead, protect, and care for his family according to the will and guidance of God.

It seems to me that some of the men in our world are sorely missing these honorable traits today. They lead according to their personal desires and not for the greater good of their family. This breaks my heart, not only for the blessings they miss, but for the destruction and humiliation they lay on their family. How much better would our world be if the family was led by righteous men of integrity, like Joseph?

The prophet Micah tells us the Messiah would come from humble beginnings: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” Micah 5:2 NLT

The prophet Isaiah confirms Jesus comes from the line of David: “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot–yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” Isaiah 11:1 NLT (Many scholars believe the Hebrew word for branch in this verse is similar to the word Nazarene.)

Joseph, a humble man of integrity, leads his family according to the will of God, perhaps with very little understanding of the greater story surrounding the future of Jesus and God’s plan for his magnificent sacrifice…, to die for us. Joseph simply trusted God and loved his family well.

I will end my thoughts today with a bold statement: I think we can say with confidence that we not only know a lot more about this man, but Joseph is a great example for men to model, and for women to seek as a mate.

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, today we see a powerful picture of a man who honored you with his life. Sadly, when we look at the men and women in our world today we see many people who are taught none of these qualities, but instead are taught to please themselves first. I am not without guilt and I cry out to you for mercy in my life and for the lives of our “branch.” I ask for your forgiveness for how we parented wrongly, Lord. I am so blessed to be married to a man who looks and acts a lot like Joseph, and I thank you, Father for the gift of this man in my life who mirrors those humble and honorable traits of Joseph.

Sadly, in spite of having character traits that mirror Joseph they seem to have little importance to our branch because of our sin of complacency as parents and the strong teachings of the world. Father I pray today that as parents we ‘stop, drop, and pray’ and that our heartfelt cries encourage movement in our branch to turn from our willful ways so that we honor and follow You. I pray we land on the path that mirrors this humble man and woman, Joseph and Mary. I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.

Thy Word:

‘After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

“A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”’ Matthew 2:13-18 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

An angel appears again to Joseph in a dream and brings alarming news: Herod is going to attempt to kill his child! Joseph doesn’t wait until morning or until it’s convenient, because he is told he must leave immediately!

Can you imagine being woken in the middle of the night by your husband telling you, “Get up, we are going to Egypt now?” This was not a hop in the car and go situation, this was a grab the baby, what we need to eat and camp on the road, and go! Most likely their departure was done in silence in the dark, to get out as speedily as possible so no one would know that they were leaving or where they were going.

What would you do?

When Herod realized the wise men left without telling him who and where this King was, he went crazy! Hundreds of years prior to the birth of Christ, the prophet Jeremiah warned the Jewish people brutality would strike them and their children would be killed (Jeremiah 31:15). As prophesied, Herod brutally kills all Jewish males two and under, in Bethlehem and all the surrounding towns, assuming he would surely kill the predicted coming King.

What would you do?

Would husband’s today take a dream like Joseph had seriously? Would wives or a Mother think their man had lost his mind or would they move quickly to do as he said?

For me to do as my husband asked it would all hinge on one thing: is my husband righteous? In other words, is he, like Joseph, listening to the Lord, is he praying, does he love our family enough to consider our safety and provision above his own selfish desires?

In a way, their poverty would have been to their benefit, in other words, they probably did not have much to pack in order to leave quickly. On the flip side, they had been given three very expensive ‘baby shower’ gifts from the Magi. One of those items was the gift of gold and I have a feeling it helped finance that immediate departure and helped them live discreetly in Egypt until the Lord said it was safe to return.

One of my most favorite verses is in the book of Romans and it sums up the mighty faith that Joseph and Mary displayed:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans‬ ‭11:33‬ NIV

Jospeh and Mary had been deeply and richly blessed by God from the moment they surrendered to His will concerning the birth of Jesus. They didn’t know what was going to happen (God’s judgments are unsearchable), they didn’t know where they were going (God’s paths are untraceable), but they knew God was in front of them because they saw the evidence of God before them in everything they did.

Would we be willing to follow the will of God as Mary and Joseph did, just based on our faith and trust, even when we didn’t know all the details?

I can’t help but wonder if I would?

What would you do?

Would any of us have enough faith and trust in God, and our spouse, to walk away from our family, home, and possessions based on a dream? My answer: I would because my husband and I walk with the Lord and I know he prays about big decisions or changes in our life.

If you want to have a better relationship with the Lord or a spouse, would you please pray about each area that is lacking your faith? If you still need help, speak to a Bible believing, Jesus following pastor or friend, or get connected with a Christian counselor that will provide Godly truth and advice.

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, this is a hard lesson today! I want to believe that my answer would be “yes” because I am married to a righteous man. But when I consider the faith and trust required to follow Your will in a situation like this, I’m not sure. I can’t help but wonder if my practicality would get in the way of…, well, everything! Father, I ask for wisdom to know, and ears to hear Your voice and Your calling, but most of all, I ask for obedience to trust and follow You and the man I love. May I always remember, I have seen the evidence of You before me, and the way my husband cares and considers me in all of his decisions on the path we are currently walking together. I ask daily for Your wisdom and discernment, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

Thy Word:

“Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.”

Matthew 2:1-12 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

We learn more important facts in today’s reading surrounding the birth of Jesus:

1. Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem for a census from their hometown of Nazareth. (Details in Luke 2:1-6)
2. Herod was the reigning king and he was a jealous and ruthless tyrant. He was so envious of his position as king, he killed several of his own children to prevent their future rule, and his intention was to also kill Jesus.
3. When we learned that King Herod was worried about the birth of the coming Messiah, we also see these words: “as was everyone in Jerusalem.” The birth of Jesus caused an eruption of emotions from Jewish leaders and the Jewish people too. For those who were dedicated to God His birth was a comfort and a reason for hope. For those who were more focused on themselves and their position in the community, they became fearful and disturbed. Even today Jesus elicits these same high and low emotions from people.
4. The Magi were following a star, but what they were really following were the recorded words of the prophets Jeremiah and Micah who predicted the coming Messiah. You can read those words in Jeremiah 23:5-6 and Micah 5:2-5 (in the Old Testament). These recorded words are some of the predictions that point to Jesus as the coming Messiah.
5. The Magi left the king and followed the star to Jesus. There they presented Him with gifts and treated this humble family like royalty, completely ignoring the obvious that Joseph and Mary were poor and the baby was born and residing (at that time) in a manger with livestock.
6. The Magi’s obedient action to worship Jesus (rightfully!) as King and bring gifts fitting for a king, resulted in a special blessing; a dream of protection, warning them to go a different direction and not back to King Herod.

Our take away from today’s reading:

1. God can and will speak to us in our dreams. This does not include nonsensical dreams or ones that attempt to entice us to commit illegal, immoral, or unjust behavior. Nor is it festering dreams about our worries. What we see is God using dreams to guide and/or comfort us, as He did with Joseph and the Magi.
2. Making the decision to follow Jesus does not give us automatic protection from harm, or the ability to get everything we ever wanted. Jesus is not our personal magic genie to answer every whim or request we have (thank goodness!). He is, however, our Holy King and He does supply our needs, but not necessarily our wants. God hears our prayers and the prayers of others, but He alone knows what will bring about the best outcome for everyone concerned because He sees all and He knows all. God’s will is perfect; therefore His answer to our prayers is perfect.
3. Making the decision to follow Jesus can make us unpopular with those who have chosen a “free for all” lifestyle, and heartbreakingly, that can include persecution from those who don’t believe, including our own non-believing family members. 💔
4. Don’t use only what you can see with your eyes to make obedient decisions. Had the Magi considered just the poverty and the manger, they would have missed the blessing of worshipping the Messiah, and God speaking to them in their dreams to avert a dangerous situation. When you pray ask for God to allow you to see everything, not just the obvious.
5. God may ask you to gift someone with something that may or may not make sense to you at the time. In fact, you may never know the outcome of your gift. But your obedience to do as you know God has called, will bless you.

The more you know about Jesus and His character, and what is said in the Bible, the easier it becomes to be wise and obedient.

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank you for the truth and for what we learned in your lesson today. Thank You for leaving us the Bible that is rich with teachings and blessings. Father I ask that You open the eyes of all of our hearts that we may see and follow You according to Your perfect will, and not our own selfish will. We ask this in the name of the Messiah Jesus, who is our King. Amen.

 

 

 

Thy Word:

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

‘This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.’ Matthew 1:18-25 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

Here we are in the hot months of summer, and in eight verses we have the miraculous story of Christmas! We learn some key things in these verses:

1. Mary was a virgin yet she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. She trusted the Lord with the calling on her life.
2. Mary was engaged to Joseph and he was a righteous man. (The definition of righteous is acting in accord with divine or moral law; free from guilt or sin; morally right or justifiable; a righteous decision arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality; righteous indignation; genuine, excellent.) We see Joseph cared enough about Mary to break the engagement quietly and protectively.
3. The Lord saw Joseph’s confusion, but knowing he was a righteous man God sent an angel to Joseph to tell him about the birth of the coming Messiah and encouraged him to marry his bride as intended.
4. Jospeh was humble and obedient, taking Mary as his wife. He trusted the Lord with the calling on his life. He made an enormous sacrifice and commitment to God by not to having sexual relations with Mary until after the child was born.

Unlike today, a pregnancy before marriage was a very serious matter and could have resulted in Mary being shunned by her community. Worse, the local priest could have insisted on Mary being put to death.

Instead what we see is that God was before Mary and Joseph in every way clearing the path for His will to be accomplished. This young couple made that possible because they both trusted the Lord would do what He said He would do, even though they didn’t have a full understanding of what would happen for them.

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.’ Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

When we fully trust in God, these verses show us that if God calls us, He will equip us. Has the Lord given you a call for something that you don’t understand, or something that you feel you are incapable of doing on your own? Then lean hard into God and trust He will prepare the path before you every step of the way, just like He did for Joseph and Mary.

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God thank you for the simplicity of this story but also for the rich truth’s that are included. I pray that we all strive to be righteous, listen carefully, then trust and follow the calling You have placed on our lives. I ask this in the Holy name of Jesus. Amen.

Thy Word:
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother [Bathsheba] had been Uriah’s wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,
Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
Uzziah the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,
Abihud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim,
Akim the father of Elihud,
Elihud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:1-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

(Note: the name “Bathsheba” in bracket’s was inserted by me.)

*****

My Thoughts: Every little girl has probably dreamed of being a princess. Every boy has most likely dreamed of being a mighty warrior, or even a king. Boldly I say, if you are a believer in Christ, your name is in this line of genealogy; therefore, you ARE royalty!

As we walk through the book of Matthew together we start (above) with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

This book was written by Matthew (also called by the name Levi) and he was one of the original twelve disciples to Jesus. Before becoming a disciple, he was a tax collector, therefore, despised by the Jews. But Jesus saw something more in Matthew…, something deep…, something Matthew may not have even known was there…, a longing for a change. Do you have that same longing for a change?

Included in this genealogy are some names you may recognize: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, David, Solomon, and more. There is no doubt these men are spiritual giants! However, I hope you also saw something very unique in this long list of names…, the names of five women. In a time where women were not noted in family lines we see their names specifically pointed out by God:

Tamar, her story in Genesis 38.
Rahab, her story in Joshua 2, Joshua 6.
Ruth, her story in the book of Ruth.
Bathsheba, her story in 2 Samuel 11 and 12.
Mary, is the virgin mother of Jesus.  Her story is told in Luke 1 and 2.

All of these women have a powerful story in the Bible. Jesus outlines the lives of these women specifically for our hope and encouragement. If you want to know more about them I pray you are motivated to read the verses in the Bible noted by each name. Who knows, you might even see a bit of yourself in each of their stories?

Finally, towards the end of the lineage you will note that Matthew makes this statement:

“and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.”

In the notes of my NIV Bible I read this information: “Matthew’s genealogy gives Jesus’ legal (or royal) lineage through Joseph. Mary’s ancestral line is recorded in Luke 3:23-38. Both Mary and Joseph were direct descendants from David.”

So you see, it was imperative that not only Joseph’s name, but Mary’s name was mentioned in the lineage of Jesus so there was no doubt he was the Messiah.

Side note for the fiction readers of this group:
If you like Francine Rivers she wrote a fiction series about each of these women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus and they are very quick reads:

“Unveiled” about Tamar
“Unashamed” about Rahab
“Unshaken” about Ruth (or my book about Ruth “Going Home”)
“Unspoken” about Bathsheba
“Unafraid” about Mary

Can you tell I love these women? I do because I see myself in each one of their broken and messy lives. If they are mentioned in the line of Christ, in spite of their brokenness, why not me…., or you?

I look forward to walking through the book of Matthew with you!

*****

Closing Prayer: Father God, thank you for the prompting in my soul to go to the book of Matthew. I look forward to what you want to say to me and to all of us. I pray that I surrender everything to You and listen carefully to what You want us to hear. I pray this in the name of Jesus, my Messiah. Amen.