She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Matthew 1:21-24 Obedience!!! Do you find this to be hard or easy? I find this to be so hard, and I am a rule follower most of the…
-
-
Advent: Day Eight
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Matthew…
-
Advent: Day Seven
In a loud voice, she exclaimed: “Blessed, are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me! As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:42-45 Jesus came to earth to fulfill a promise and a purpose. His mission was the cross. When God spoke His blessing over Mary and baby Jesus, he did not mean a life of ease. Hebrews 12:2 says, “keeping our…
-
Advent: Day Six
Even Elizabeth, your relative, is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive, is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail. ” I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left. Luke 1:36-38 There is so much in this world that will fail us. People will fail us, and friends will fail us; the family will fail us. Do you know who won’t fail us? God! His word will never fail. Isn’t that amazing. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 13, ” If I speak human or…
-
Advent: Day Five
“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “Since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:34-35 Could you imagine being visited by the angel Gabriel? Let alone a message from God? What do you think your reaction would be? Mary responded with surprise. Then she moved to steadfast confidence in God’s ability to do anything, no matter how improbable. How do you deal with doubt? How do you choose to believe? Let’s read 1 Peter 5:9. It says,…
-
Advent: Day Four
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end. Luke 1:31-33 Where do you put your hope in? People, animals, things? We were made to be connected to God. When we grow in God, we can have an unshakable belief in God. We are created to trust God as a provider, healer, and comforter. However, life happens, and this world sabotages our hope in…
-
Magnify With Thanksgiving
I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30 Do you ever complain to God? Then realize you need to praise him and give thanks. The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song, I shall thank Him. Psalm 28:7 O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:4 The psalmist is an example of Christians, concludes a psalm with holy joy and praise, which he began with complaints and remonstrances of his griefs. He restores to praise God himself. He…
-
Give Thanks To The Lord
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart. I will recount all of our wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you. I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2 In our family growing up, My day would have everyone around the table share what we were thankful for. Let us remember to thank God each day. One way to thank God is through our praise. The Old Testament uses three words for praise: for the Israelites to praise God Barak – bless halal – Hallelujah – praise the Lord yada – sometimes means give thanks I will give thanks to the…
-
Gratitude Among Others
And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal. Hosea 2:8 Have you ever done something for someone, yet another got the credit for it? Has God ever blessed you with a harvest of food, and you never gave him credit for it? Israel is not giving gratitude where gratitude is due. Year after year, God gives Israel plenty of harvest. Year after year, though, the Israelites offer what God gives them to Baal. A false god that doesn’t even exist. They honor Baal and not God.…
-
God Is Good
OH, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in form the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Psalm 107: 1-3 Giving thanks to God!!! How wonderful is it that we can thank God for all he has done and for all that he will do? Do you really take the time to thank God? Do you know what to thank God for? Sometimes it comes easy for me to thank God, and other times I don’t even…