Tag: faith

God, the New Year Cometh; So please teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of truest Brevity of Life, grow in thy wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Psalm 90 New American Standard Bible 1995

BOOK 4

God’s Eternity and Man’s Transitoriness.

A Prayer of [a]Moses, the man of God.

90 Lord, You have been our [b]dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
[c]Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

3 You turn man back into dust
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
4 For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by,
[d]Or as a watch in the night.
5 You have [e]swept them away like a flood, they [f]fall asleep;
In the morning they are like grass which [g]sprouts anew.
6 In the morning it flourishes and [h]sprouts anew;
Toward evening it fades and withers away.

7 For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been [i]dismayed.
8 You have placed our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
9 For all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a [j]sigh.
10 As for the days of our [k]life, [l]they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.
11 Who [m]understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear [n]that is due You?
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may [o]present to You a heart of wisdom.

13 Do return, O Lord; how long will it be?
And [p]be sorry for Your servants.
14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad [q]according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the years we have seen [r]evil.
16 Let Your work appear to Your servants
And Your majesty [s]to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And [t]confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, [u]confirm the work of our hands.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

What does brevity mean?

: shortness of duration. especially : shortness or conciseness of expression.

What is brevity of a person?

the brevity of human life. the quality of expressing much in few words; terseness: Ironically, it is long-winded Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet who famously says that brevity is the soul of wit.

Is brevity a good thing?

Maybe that’s why William Shakespeare said, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” One thing I know is brevity is powerful. People who can speak or write concisely and to the point are more successful.

Is brevity positive or negative?

Brevity rails against the non-essential, against filling time, against boredom, against self- indulgent long-windedness and against agonizing repetition.

Brevity guards against overconsumption and waste as brevity can be applied to space and things, as well as time. Brevity is economy.

Is brevity a skill?

Brevity is rare because it takes both skill and effort to simplify the complex.

It’s easier to remain ethereal, vague, and ambiguous than it is to communicate with purpose and clarity.

Or, I would have written a shorter sermon if God had given me the time.

Life is filled with “once in a lifetime” opportunities, but the big question is what we do with them when they present themselves? Do we so casually let them slip by, saying, “Maybe next time (if there is one). There is always another day”? Or, do we a John 3:16 moment seize them? Love them like God loved us, have a few more “come to Jesus” moments as we may not have as much time as we think?

Theologian Dr. Leslie Weatherhead calculated the average length of a life using the hours of 1 day to illustrate the importance of recognizing the value of time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Weatherhead

He concluded that if your age is 15, the time is 10:25 a.m. If your age is 20, the time is 11:34. If your age is 25, the time is 12:42 p.m. If you’re 30, the time is 1:51. If you’re 35, the time is 3:00. If you’re 40 the time is 4:08. At age 45, the time is 5:15. If you’re 50, the time is 6:25. By age 55, the time is 7:24. If you’re 60, the time is 8:42. If you’re 65, the time is 9:51. And if you’re 70 the time is 11 p.m.

Psalm 90:12 reminds us, “Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom” (NKJV). Or as the Living Bible puts it, “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”

Ephesians 5:15 says, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise” (NLT).

Paul wrote, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must fully honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NLT).

Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23 NLT).

This doesn’t mean that we must take a vow of poverty. It simply means we that we ultimately recognize that it 100% all belongs to God. Our lives belong to God. Our families belong to God. All our possessions belong to God. Everything is his.

So, in the coming year of 2025, make your chief New Years resolution to take what God has given to you and do the most that you can with it for his glory.

Remind yourself; God can do a lot with a little. If you don’t believe me, just ask the boy with the five loaves and two fish who gave everything he had to Jesus. It didn’t seem like a lot, but Jesus used them to feed a hungry thousands. Jesus can take a little, bless it and multiply it. He can use it beyond our wildest dreams.

Seizing upon our God Opportunity: “God, Do teach me to “Number My Days”” 

Psalm 139:23-24 Amplified Bible

23 
Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

If we will earnestly and fervently pray, humble ourselves, take what we have and offer it to God, if we will be willing to do what He has placed before us and be faithful in the little things, then we can trust He will give us more to do.

I would rather try and fail than never try at all.

Any time you take a chance, you can fail. But it’s better to try than to never take chances and never have anything happen in your life.

So seize the day. Seize the moment. Seize the opportunities before you.

Don’t put it off too long, because you may not have as much time as you think.

Be motivated, be productive, be resolute with your life. Resolve to be productive with your time, talents, ministries. Seize the opportunities God has given you.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 The Message

There’s a Right Time for Everything

3 There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

2-8 A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Merry Christmas! Celebrate the birth of Jesus, emphasize the hope which it brings to man, the manifestation of God’s most extraordinary act of love. Matthew 1:18-23

Matthew 1:18-25 English Standard Version

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
    and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Christmas Greetings, beloved family of Christ.

As we gather together in His name, let us cast our minds back to that humble stable in Bethlehem, where the world first met its Savior.

A night of profound significance, a night when the divine intersected with the ordinary, a night when the heavens echoed with angelic voices singing, “Glory to God in the highest.” This is the night we celebrate at Christmas, the night when all of God’s love was made manifest in the form of a tiny, vulnerable baby.

The great theologian J.I. Packer once wrote, “The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity–hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory–because at the Father’s will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.”

This, dear friends, is the hope we cling so tightly to, the hope we mightily celebrate, the hope we so eagerly share with a world in desperate need of it.

Let us now turn our hearts and minds to the Scripture passage that tells us of this miraculous event from Matthew 1:18-23 Amplified Bible .

Conception and Birth of Jesus

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been  [a]betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her [promised] husband, being a just and righteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her away and divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has been [b]conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will [c]save His people from their sins.” 22 All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the [d]prophet [Isaiah]: 23 “Behold, the [e]virgin shall be with child and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel”—which, when translated, means, “God with us.”  24 Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he took Mary [to his home] as his wife, 25 but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child]; and he named Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation).

This passage from Matthew’s narrative, dear friends, is the cornerstone of our faith, the foundation upon which we build our lives. It tells us not only of the long promised coming birth of our Savior, but also of the extraordinary love of our God, who would send His only Son to save a world that did not know Him.

Let us pray. Loving Heavenly Father, we thank You as much as our lungs allow for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came as a baby in a manger to save us from our sins. As we reflect on the significance of His birth, fill our hearts with Your love, and may the joy of this season inspire us to serve You with renewed passion and commitment. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Alleluia! amen.

Now, let us consider this wondrous manifestation of God’s love through Christmas, the motivation behind our celebration, our mission to serve God.

May the Holy Spirit lead, guide and direct our thoughts and our steps and open unto and into our hearts the most profound truths contained in these themes.

Manifestation of God’s Love through Christmas

The birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is a profound demonstration of God’s love for us. This love is nothing which can be classed as ordinary, but extraordinary, transcending human comprehension. It’s a love that chose to leave the glory of heaven, sent of God to be born in a cold humble stable, to live among us, and ultimately to die for us. This is the love that Christmas brings into sharp focus.

God’s love is manifested in the very act of Jesus’ incarnation.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

This was no ordinary birth. It was the birth of the King of Kings in the most humble of circumstances possible. This act of highest humility is a powerful demonstration of God’s immeasurable love. It shows us God is not a distant, detached deity, but a loving Father who is intimately involved in all our lives.

The birth of Immanuel, God with us, God within us also reveals God’s boundless love in its sacrificial nature. Jesus was born to save us from our sins. His birth set in motion a series of events that would lead all mankind to the cross. Even as we celebrate His birth with the most expensive of gifts, we dare not forget the shadow of the cross which looms in the background.

This is love in its purest form – love that is willing to sacrifice everything, even life itself, for the sake of God’s beloved children, save each of us from our sins.

Motivation behind Our Celebration – EXHORT His Humility

As we reflect on the birth of Jesus, we are reminded of the motivation behind our celebration, we look to Paul’s own words from his prison letter to Philippi.

Philippians 2:1-2 Amplified Bible

Be Like Christ

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement and comfort in Christ [as there certainly is in abundance], if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship [that we share] in the Spirit, if [there is] any [great depth of] affection and compassion,  2  make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same [a]love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel—the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ].

Our passage begins with an emphatic linking word, “Therefore”, tying these verses to those preceding them. In brief, Paul calls for Christians to meet the various needs of others rather than obsessing over their own. The energy and source for this encouragement is what we have received in Christ (2:1-2). We, in unity of purpose, to emulate him by putting others ahead of ourselves (2:3-4).

The added dimension of this exhortation is that the original recipients of this epistle were suffering for their faith (1:28-29).

They were locked in conflict not dissimilar from Paul’s own experiences (1:30; also see 1:12-18). This context of greatest hardship makes Paul’s challenge to value others above ourselves and be concerned for their interests even more astonishing. For Christians, whatever the season, are called to always look out for others, even when we feel entitled to in need of care from others.

How can we do that? Because, if we are honest, most of us instinctively look 1st after our own interests – be better than others, gifts having the most advanced technology, just as we easily love ourselves – and this is typically heightened when we are facing challenges or hardships. Paul’s answer is that we should generously share what is ours in Christ, both experientially, from his example.

Firstly, whatever “encouragement…comfort…tenderness [and] compassion” we enjoy in Christ should be shared with others (2:1-2).

I take it this is what Paul means by calling for us to be “like-minded…being one in spirit and of one mind.”

Christ’s perfect love for us means we are incomparably blessed and reassured.

Therefore let us offer the encouragement and comfort we have experienced to others.

The temptation for us, especially when we are struggling, is to retreat into God as our refuge and strength instead of steadfastly urging others to do the same.

Understanding that God provides peace amid turmoil as we seek Him in our prayers (4:6-7) is a glorious reality both to take hold for yourself and proclaim to others. What we have, know in Christ, is a treasure to be shared not hoarded.

Secondly, this passage corrects the thinking that severely limits our service and encouragement of others only to seasons when we are comfortable and settled.

Remember that the Christians Paul originally addressed at Philippi were being heavily persecuted for their faith. Yet he exhorts them to encourage each other.

And in addition to sharing with others the wonderful experience of Christ’s love he additionally challenges them to follow Christ’s example: “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (2:5). Jesus Christ did “nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit” but with incredible humility valued others above himself (2:3) and carried His cross, unflaggingly looked to their interests (2:4)—to your interests.

Our Lord exhibited an astounding other-person centeredness that Christians have long exhorted, marveled and preached at, but too often failed to emulate.

If anything, this passage challenges us who rest secure in Christ’s love but do not act to comfort others with it; those of us who rejoice in and sing about his wonderful love for us but do not likewise exhort, nor encourage others with it.

This Christmas Day, this Christmas season, May God help us to have the same mind as Christ—even when we believe that others should be looking after us, even as we feel entitled to first celebrate and feast on our Christian experience.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 150 Amplified Bible

A Psalm of Praise.

150 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty heavens.
2 
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to [the abundance of] His greatness.

3 
Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
4 
Praise Him with tambourine and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
5 
Praise Him with resounding cymbals;
Praise Him with loud cymbals.
6 
Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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‘For your grace is there before my eyes, and I live my life by your truth.’ Truths From Luke’s Christmas Story of the Birth of Jesus. Luke 2:1-21

Luke 2:1-21 New King James Version

Christ Born of Mary

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed [a]wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.  7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a [b]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And [c]behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a [d]manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill[e] toward men!”

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made [f]widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Circumcision of Jesus

21 And when eight days were completed [g]for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Undoubtedly, this Christmas season, Luke 2 will probably be the most-read passage of Scripture. It is the well known story that tells of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angels’ announcement to the shepherds in the fields, the shepherds’ visit to the stable, and even Jesus’ childhood. This chapter of the New Testament tells us the age-old Christmas story, but it’s also extremely relevant to our lives today in practical ways.

Here are five takeaways from Luke 2 that we can apply to our lives today:

1. Even Jesus Wasn’t Above Simple Circumstances (Luke 2:7)

When you think of kings, you think of crowns and thrones and palaces…not stables full of smelly farm animals, feeding trough as a bed for a newborn baby.

Yet Jesus, King of Kings though He is, came into the world in a remarkably simple, lowly, and unassuming way.

His birth was the furthest thing from a King’s welcome.

Few of us are acquainted with the ways of royalty, and it’s hard to even fathom how elaborate and exquisite that lifestyle is.

Many more of us, however, can describe in detail what a barn is like.

I find this part of the Christmas story in Luke 2 so beautiful– Jesus didn’t come to earth as a mighty, majestic King who would be intimidating and untouchable.

He instead came as an innocent, needy, dependent baby born to parents who were poor and as simply normal as could be.

Everything about the very beginning moments of his life on earth was humble and unassuming, giving us a Savior we can easily relate to and understand, not one who is distant or on a lofty throne. This is such a comforting truth– we don’t have to have prestigious job titles or possess well-stocked bank accounts or fame to be used by God, because not even His Son required those things.

2. God’s Glory Is Worthy of Our Praise, Even when We Feel Afraid (Luke 2:9-10)

When the angel of the Lord stood before the shepherds who were keeping watch over their sheep during the night, Luke 2:9 says “they were terrified.” In truth I would be too! Even though they were afraid and probably trying to make sense of what they were seeing and hearing, and wondering if they were dreaming or if this really was happening, the angel’s first words were “Do not be afraid.”

3. When the Lord Makes a Promise, We Can Trust He Will Keep it (Luke 2:15-16)

The shepherds heard from the angels that the baby had been born, and they didn’t doubt it. 

Luke 2:15 says, “when the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’”

They heard the message and immediately acted upon it, never hesitating or questioning that what the angel of the Lord had said to them. For something new, exciting and different, we should do the exact same in our lives. We each have Scripture as tangible documentation of the Lord’s promises and truths, and we should act on them without questioning His faithfulness and trustworthiness.

4. Words From and About the Lord Are to Be Treasured (Luke 2:17-18)

When the shepherds visited Mary and Joseph and the baby in the manger, Luke 2:17-18 say, “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

Letting my spirit wander in new directions, I can’t even imagine what those shepherds’ stories must have been after seeing the angels in all the glory of the Lord out in the fields, but I know it must have been powerful and beautiful.

Verse 19 says, “ Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Verse 51 later says, “His mother treasured all these things in her heart,” after Jesus was found in the temple learning from the teachers.

The things Mary had seen, heard and felt about her newborn son and the things she saw Him doing were beautiful mysterious treasures to her, and for a real big change, they should be for us too. Stories we have in Scripture tell us about who Jesus is, what He did on this earth, and we should hold them dear in our hearts.

5. We Should Make Time to Learn from Those Older than Us (Luke 2:47, Luke 2:52)

Jesus did this as a child in the temple, painting a beautiful picture for us.

Jesus was the all-knowing and all-powerful Son of God, yet even he sat among the temple’s teachers to listen, ask questions, and learn. 

Luke 2:47 says, “Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.” 

Luke 2:52 later says, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

He knew as a boy that his elders had wisdom that he could grow from, and he stayed behind, entered into the Temple, sat down, most eagerly sought it out.

For a Godly change of our usual routine, we should do the same, seeking the advice and knowledge of those who are more mature and knowledgeable in their faith. We can learn so much from mentors, teachers, and pastors when we listen to their words, ask them questions, and just spend time among them.

When you hear Luke 2 this Christmas Eve, and maybe too, read it before our families on Christmas Day, ponder and cherish and remember these five things.

Purposely, please look deeper beyond just the familiar story of Christmas and see these verses are practically relevant for us even thousands of years later.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 85 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 85

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

1 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land:
thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people,
thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath:
thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.

4 Turn us, O God of our salvation,
and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?
wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
6 Wilt thou not revive us again:
that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Shew us thy mercy, O Lord,
and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak:
for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints:
but let them not turn again to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him;
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth;
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good;
and our land shall yield her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him;
and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Our Ministering Unto Ourselves, our taking the time to Count, Enjoy God’s Blessings this Christmas. Yes, Really! Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 Complete Jewish Bible

24 So there is nothing better for a man to do than eat, drink and and let himself enjoy the good that results from his work. I also realized that this is from God’s hand. 25 For who will eat and who will enjoy except me? 26 For to the man who is good from [God’s] viewpoint he gives wisdom, knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of collecting and accumulating things to leave to him who is good from God’s viewpoint. This too is pointless and feeding on wind.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

The palpable tension of knowing when to take action and when to rest is often addressed throughout the pages of Scripture. The Bible is replete with subtle and not so subtle invitations to the “I am too busy” weary to come to Jesus for rest (Matthew 11:28-30) and to take rest (Mark 6:31) abide in Christ (John 15:14).

Conversely, Scripture emphatically charges us to go out into world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19) and to make the most of every opportunity because the days are short (Ephesians 5:15-16). So then, what’s the balanced answer?

Do we go and over do, or stay, linger, rest, in God’s Arms this holiday season?

I know there are folks out there in God’s Kingdom who will steadfastly ignore that question, brush it off, raise high the standard; “As God sacrificed for me, as He sent His Son into the world, I’ll sacrifice for Him, send myself as Jesus did!”

Solomon in Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 offers insight into how we should approach Christmas time.

He wisely writes, “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This, too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?”

For someone whose holiday plans involve a lot of eating, I am grateful that Solomon encourages us to enjoy our food! And all God’s children said, “Amen!” 

All jokes aside, Solomon, in these verses, reminds us to enjoy life’s blessings:

Food, fellowship, and a job well done. Even in a fallen world where the evidence of sin is over prevalent, we still experience gifts from a most gracious, loving Father. I like to think of these blessings as “glimmers of Heavens rest,” glimpses of the abundant, extravagant life those in Christ will experience for all eternity. 

Solomon does not encourage us to abandon, do away with our responsibilities, forgo our covenant obligations, or even say a hardcore no to things we enjoy doing. Instead, he draws our attention to the fact that God is sovereign over everything. Even our ability to find enjoyment in this life comes from the Lord. 

However, we celebrate this season, (be sure we do actually celebrate) cling to truth God’s grace and mercy enable us to experience eternity in the here, now.

Might I suggest, many family’s has come to practice, a sure balance of Kingdom participation in gathering, assisting, distributing, help feeding the homeless, at the same time, balancing our family time and our resting time ensuring we too have ample time for rest and relaxation, and time for giving the Lord all of the glory and honor and praise because He gave His all, therefor He alone is worthy.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Think about your over detailed holiday plans.

Do you tend to lean more towards filling the calendar with “all the things?”

Or perhaps you are more likely to keep a clear schedule?

26 For to the man who is good from [God’s] viewpoint he gives wisdom, knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of collecting and accumulating things to leave to him who is good from God’s viewpoint. This too is pointless and feeding on wind.

In light of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, how might the Lord call you to adjust your plans this Christmas season so that you can fully enjoy the celebrations of Jesus’ arrival and share the blessings from the Lord with others?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 121 Complete Jewish Bible

121 (0) A song of ascents:

(1) If I raise my eyes to the hills,
from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from Adonai,
the maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip —
your guardian is not asleep.
4 No, the guardian of Isra’el
never slumbers or sleeps.

5 Adonai is your guardian; at your right hand
Adonai provides you with shade —
6 the sun can’t strike you during the day
or even the moon at night.

7 Adonai will guard you against all harm;
he will guard your life.
8 Adonai will guard your coming and going
from now on and forever.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

But what does it matter anymore, if whether or not, the birth of Jesus is ever preached at Christmas Season? Philippians 1:15-19

Philippians 1:15-19 New International Version

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[a]

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS … well, almost … Just a few more days till the celebration.

What if you heard that your former pastor is in prison, do you get concerned?

What happened?

Did he do something terrible or was he there to bring or take the Gospel to the prisoners that Christ may be preached even behind the foreboding prison walls?

The Philippians had heard that Paul was in a Roman prison, so Paul reassured them he was there because of his mission to share the good news about Jesus.

Does that mean I need to commit a crime that I may be a prisoner like Paul?

Once behind prison walls serving the length of my sentence to preach Jesus?

Even if it is this close to the celebration of Christmas and since I am not going anywhere any time soon and the guards are not just going to unlock the doors?

No, certainly not … because I certainly value my freedom and you should also.

And to that Paul added an encouragement: there is a higher purpose; the gospel was now being preached much as a result of his being a ­prisoner for Christ!

That was good news, but there was a flipside (isn’t there always a flipside?): some of those preachers had some very wrong, selfish motivations.

For some reason known but to God, they preached against Paul even as they preached the gospel. Maybe envy or personal gain drove them to try to turn the spotlight onto themselves. That wasn’t honest or minimally Christlike at all.

But how did Paul respond to that? “What does it matter?” he wrote. Really?!

Didn’t it bother him that some folks were preaching out of selfish ambition?

Apparently not.

Why?

Paul was head over heels in love with Jesus and the good news of salvation.

So if Christ was being preached and the message rang true, Hallelujah!

That jaw-dropping truth is a challenge for us all.

Do we love Jesus so much that we can let other concerns drop?

Even if we don’t like a certain preacher, are we excited enough about the gospel to rejoice that it is being shared anyway?

That’s a tough one. But by grace alone Paul achieved that mindset.

We can too.

Can’t we?!?

Philippians 1:18-19 Amplified Bible

18 What then [does it matter]? So long as in every way, whether in pretense [for self-promotion] or in all honesty [to spread the truth], Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice [later as well], 19 for I know [with confidence] that this will turn out for my deliverance and spiritual well-being, through your prayers and the [superabundant] supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ [which upholds me].

We may not like or approve of certain ways some Christian leaders, groups, organizations, and churches are proclaiming the Christmas story this year, yet we may want to take a step back and look at the whole picture.

Although it’s difficult to observe, as often we can see how some seem to have ulterior motives rather than being motivated by the beauty of God’s message.

Yet, still, they may be reaching out to those who may not have heard it before.

Even if we don’t like their tactics and methods, we want to recognize that God is able to save those who hear His truth despite how it is being presented to them.

It’s hard, too, for those of us who seek to handle God’s word with reverent fear and trembling and who understand the call and utmost importance of handling it correctly to see others seeming to deal carelessly with it.

2 Timothy 2:15 instructs, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Understanding God holds us accountable for the words we speak, write, and present to the world; we know He will also hold those responsible who are not so concerned in how they handle it.

Like Jesus warned in Matthew 12:36, we are to be cautious. “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”

Praising God in the Midst of People’s Carelessness

Still, despite their careless handling of His word, God is able to save through it, and for this we want to be thankful and praise God—not for the people who are doing so with little regard for how they present His truth, but for how He is able to reach out in remarkable ways through the most haphazardly ways His truth is presented. 

We want to keep in mind the most important thing is that Christ is preached at Christmas, and that involves a broad spectrum of how it is accomplished.

Like the Apostle Paul explained in Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

In the grand scheme of life, isn’t it better for those to hear Christ than not to hear Christ at all, even if it’s not done in a way or method we would present it?

God Has His Ways

Because God has His exclusive ways of speaking to individuals’ hearts, we don’t know how He might move a person’s heart in the most unexpected time and unlikely places when it seems like nothing good could come from the situation.

I have heard several people saying why they don’t, wont celebrate Christmas.

Still, in their argument, they quoted Scripture and actually told the Christmas story to those who were nearby listening while trying to make a point against it.

Thankfully, instead of attempting to shut the discussion down, God gave him insight and wisdom to recognize in their attempt to discredit the story of God’s Christmas gift, they were actually spreading the truth of it to those in the group who may never have heard it before – I doubt that was their original intentions. 

Although the disgruntled shoppers didn’t realize it that afternoon, they were preaching Christ and possibly unknowingly through it, God was stirring hearts, warming, quickening spirits with the Gospel of His Christmas gift of Salvation. 

Isaiah 55:8 describes how “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord.”

Intersecting Faith & Life:

If troubled by how the Christmas story is being presented and represented in your community of churches and in the world at large, pray for God to reach through all of the carelessness and move individuals’ hearts to receive Him.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray …

Psalm 84 English Standard Version

My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.[a] A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

84 How lovely is your dwelling place,
    O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
    to the living God.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
    ever singing your praise! Selah

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    in whose heart are the highways to Zion.[b]
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
    they make it a place of springs;
    the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
    each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
    give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
    look on the face of your anointed!

10 For a day in your courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
    from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

The effectual fervent prayer of one righteous person availeth much. A simple prayer for the Community of hurt, grieving Hearts this Christmas. Isaiah 9:1-7

Isaiah 9:1-7 The Message

A Child Has Been Born—for Us!

9 But there’ll be no darkness for those who were in trouble. Earlier he did bring the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali into disrepute, but the time is coming when he’ll make that whole area glorious—the road along the Sea, the country past the Jordan, international Galilee.

2-7 The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
    light! sunbursts of light!
You repopulated the nation,
    you expanded its joy.
Oh, they’re so glad in your presence!
    Festival joy!
The joy of a great celebration,
    sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—
    all their whips and clubs and curses—
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance
    as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian.
The boots of all those invading troops,
    along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,
Will be piled in a heap and burned,
    a fire that will burn for days!
For a child has been born—for us!
    the gift of a son—for us!
He’ll take over
    the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
    Strong God,
Eternal Father,
    Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
    and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He’ll rule from the historic David throne
    over that promised kingdom.
He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing
    and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
    beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
    will do all this.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Isaiah 9:6 Amplified Bible

6 
For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given;
And the government shall be upon His shoulder,
And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The season we spend the longest time anticipating is among us.

Advent is here and in four short days, it will be Christmas, and the reminder of our hope being secured sears in our hearts all over again. It’s a beautiful time, filled with celebration that bring comfort and familiarity to our hearts. A time to savor the stillness and deep awe of what God has done and will soon do again.

This Christmas season, however, for too many across the globe, will mark the first time celebrating without their most treasured family members, from war, from famine, from drugs, alcohol, suicide, and cancer, heart attacks, just age. Death is just part of the natural cycle of life ordered by God – no one is immune.

As a global community, as the Body of Christ, our hearts are deeply intertwined with love for each other. Can we imagine how tender our relationship was for them all year round but how this time of Christmas celebration causes anguish?

The scale of the loss of life is earth-shattering, to say the least. It feels like a part of our hearts died the day they went to their graves, prayerfully with Jesus.

Perhaps you, too, count yourselves among the multitude of the grieving, have experienced all the feelings that come with the loss of someone dear to you. It feels more overwhelming during a season when the rest of the world seems to be joyful. It’s new, it’s different, but because of Jesus, hope is no less secure.

As I settled in my cozy brown chair and began writing this devotion, the grief once again washes over me. However, for me and my surgically repaired heart can whisper, for the first time in almost a year and a half, that the grief was met almost instantly with the much needed reminder of the joy I can have within my depressed circumstances because of Jesus. He is the gift of light in the darkness.

He is, as Isaiah 9:6-7 says, our mighty God, our eternal everlasting Father, the gift of peace in the raging tumult of the storms, wisest of the wise counselors.

He is our perfectly ordered Government fully capable, fully prepared, fully and 100% ready, 100% always vigilant and watchful, when disorder rules our souls. (Psalm 13, Psalm 18, Psalm 23, Psalm 46, Psalm 91, Psalm 121, Psalm 139)

We see this by the way God at a time and season of His choosing, sent His Messengers to a girl named Mary and then Immanuel came as a precious baby.

Immanuel, God with us and within us. His promised arrival, though it seemed unexpectedly lowly, pierced the darkness forever. Hope was born that night. 

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” – Isaiah 9:6-7

When Jesus came as a newborn baby, He brought forth the light of the world and the gospel of peace to a world that was wearily waiting for their Savior.

The night Christ was born was deemed holy and perfect.

The night of His birth delivered the invitation humanity had been waiting for.

The gift of a Savior, the redeemer, the ultimate counselor, the perfect friend, the sustainer through all of life, and the giver of the eternal light that can not nor will never be dimmed or taken away by the darkness in humanities heart.

As you all make the effort to settle into this season, whether filled with joy or finding yourself in waves of grief and uncertainty, cling to the reminder that hope came as promised. Jesus is with you, His light will lead you, and He will meet your every need. Seek Him in the stillness and savor the work He is doing.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank you for your promises, thank you for the gift of hope you gave us when the baby Immanuel was born. As I journey through my shadows, through those places of great and greatest uncertainty this season, riding the waves of grief and joy, meet me 1:1 in those places. Meet with me, walk with me, in Your promises, tenderly through your Word. In Jesus’ name, alleluia! alleluia! amen.

Psalm 13 New King James Version

Trust in the Salvation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
4 Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5 But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

https://translate.google.com/

Someone asked us; “How does Jesus’ birth confirm our Hope of Heaven?” Colossians 1:3-8

Colossians 1:3-8 Amplified Bible

3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we pray always for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] [a]love which you have for all the saints (God’s people); 5 because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] 6 which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing  among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it]. 7 You learned it from [our representative] Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf 8 and he also has told us of your love [well-grounded and nurtured] in the [Holy] Spirit.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

It is so cliché to say life is uncertain, yet Jesus offers us a steadfast promise—eternal life. His words are as reliable as the sunrise, as sure as a parent’s love.

On that miraculous night Jesus’ miraculous birth brought to all of us heaven’s promise to earth, “a heavenly light has been revealed, shined in the dark and the darkness could not do anything about it” and through His teachings and sacrificial death, He paid sin’s death penalty with eternal life. His resurrection affirms exactly what He promised. This, my friends, is as certain as the sunrise.

This promise of eternal life begins with the miraculous birth of our Savior, a child called Immanuel, “God with Us,” an event both prophesied and fulfilled.

1. Christmas Reminds Each One of Us to Trust God’s Promises

Every day, we trust the sun to rise; we never doubt its appearance because it has always been faithful. In the same way, we anchor our confidence in eternal life in God’s faithfulness and the consistency of His promises. Just as we rely on the sunrise, sunset, we can trust that God will fulfill His word regarding eternal life.

Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah foretold,

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and His name shall be called Mighty God…” (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus’ miraculous birth, born of a virgin (Luke 1:27), and the fulfillment of countless prophecies are miracles that only God could accomplish.

With this same divine authority, Jesus declared it was time to get our lives in line with God through repentance, forgiveness of sins and promised eternal life—a promise validated by His resurrection, as steadfast, certain as a rising sun.

Jesus’ humble arrival in a manger was the only One who could ensure salvation and life everlasting as 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains:

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 

The Savior’s life, His wise teachings, His miracle of feeding the thousands, His healings, stilling the storm, giving life to the dead, His inclusion of all classes of people (Mat. 11:28-30) unveiling before the veiled eyes of humanity, the forever expanding-length, depth, height, breadth, widest possible expanses of God’s own coming Kingdom, providing ample instruction in faith, hope, trust, love.

2. Jesus Unveils God’s Kingdom and Secures Our Faith

The sovereign authority of God upholds, and the law guarantees a legally binding contract—whether for a job, a home, or a covenant commitment.

Similarly, God, the ultimate Lawgiver, “seals” His unbreakable word: “When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal” (Ephesians 1:13-14), the guarantee of inheritance in eternal life. God’s word, unlike earthly contracts, is more enduring, engaging, because they’re backed by His unchanging nature.

Jesus revealed the way to eternity, declaring, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). His sinless life exemplified His teachings as a model of righteousness and eternal values.

His words, like a covenant, indestructibly rooted in God’s authority, are impossible to void. Unlike human agreements, God’s word is absolute and faithful: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind…Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).

Through Jesus, we can safely place our faith in a covenant as unbreakable as the most binding contract—yet far more enduring, secured by God Himself. Jesus secured this covenant by accomplishing redemption for our sins on the cross.

3. Jesus’ Victory Over Death Confirms Our Hope in Eternity

When a close friend promises to help in a challenging time, we believe them based on a long history trust built through shared history and proven loyalty.

We don’t have to question whether or when, they will show up because they have repeatedly revealed that they are 100% dependable. In the same way, God demonstrated His faithfulness in sending Jesus, and we can trust His promise of eternal life as surely as we would trust a BFF friend who has never let us down.

Martin Luther echoed this trust, saying, “When I look at myself, I don’t see how I can be saved. When I look at Christ, I don’t see how I can be lost.”

Through His birth, His teachings, and the ultimate sacrifice on the cross, Jesus proved He speaks the truth as a loving friend and Savior, exchanging our sin for His righteousness. Reverend Dr. A. W. Tozer says, “The only sin Jesus ever had was ours. And the only righteousness we can ever has is His.” 

The blood of Jesus “cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7-9). His resurrection and ascension provides the final heavenly assurance that Jesus has paid the ransom, met sin’s penalty and was accepted by God the Father as an atonement.

Jesus’ resurrection captured sin’s death penalty, replaced it with eternal life. 

4. Jesus’ Resurrection Proves Our Victory Over Death Is Certain

The resurrection proves that Jesus has power over sin and death, validating His identity as the Son of God and affirming every promise He’s made.

It’s the ultimate assurance that believers, too, will share in victory over death and receive the gift of eternal life. By rising from the dead, Jesus confirmed His role as Savior and Lord, providing us a secure foundation for our trust in God.

Peter declares in Acts 2:24,

“God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.”

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).

Resurrection is the cornerstone and certainty of our own resurrection. 

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 states, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Just as basic mathematical truths—2 + 2 always equaling 4—are unchanging, so is the iron clad reliability of God’s word and assurance of victory over death.

Mathematical principles remain constant, and likewise, so do God’s promises.

Author Lee Strobel captures this assurance: “Jesus Christ did not come into this world to make bad people good; he came into this world to make dead people live.”

Believing in Jesus, “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16), we live by faith— the very basis of eternal life.

5. Faith in Christ Secures Our Eternal Life

Most of us experience the unwavering love of a parent or close family member. Likewise, God’s love and our security in Him are even more assured. Just as a parent’s love for a child endures, God’s love is even deeper and unending.

The apostle John, known as Jesus’ “beloved disciple,” writes of this confidence in 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

John’s message of assurance is powerful;

he walked with Jesus, ate with Jesus, witnessed His crucifixion, and saw His resurrected body. His words remind believers faith in Jesus is eternal, forever.

Salvation is God’s gift of grace—not earned but received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Faith isn’t “hoping so” or wishful thinking—it’s a confident trust rooted in Jesus! Faith fully trusts God’s promises, not because we cross our fingers or “hope for the best,” but because He has proven Himself faithful time and again.

This is the faith that gives justification from sin and peace with God (Romans 5:1).

It is certain, like relying on the sunrise or the unchanging nature of God’s Word, rather than the fleeting assurances the world offers.

The great British preacher Charles Spurgeon helps us understand:

“Saving faith is an immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, resting upon Him alone, for justification, sanctification, eternal life by virtue of God’s grace.” 

Fully assured of what God promises through faith in Jesus, we can live into, we can live out from that faith, shining out into darkness, the truth of eternal life. 

By our spiritual discipline, prioritizing time in God’s presence through prayer and studying His Word deepens holiness and shapes us to be more like Jesus.

As 1 John 2:5 says, ‘If anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them.’ 

With confidence in the unshakable promise of eternal life, Christmas becomes a sacred invitation to share with others the true message of the season—a Gospel message of redemption, hope, and eternal assurance in Christ that the world so desperately needs.

Finally, as blessed, as miraculous, as certain as the sunrise, as the sunset, as unbreakable as a trusted promise, as enduring as a parent’s love, and presence, as unchanging as mathematical laws, God’s declarations stand steadfast, firm.

The birth, life, teachings, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus all confirm His promise of eternal life. Yes, you can be certain of heaven! Let’s read this verse again: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13). 

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 121 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 121

A Song of degrees.

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord,
which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is thy keeper:
the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil:
he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in
from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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“I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: for the night cometh, when no man can work.” John 9:1-7

John 9:1-6 Authorized (King James) Version

9 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

As we are drawing closer to our celebration of Jesus’ birth, it’s so important to remember why Jesus came. Several times in the book of John, Jesus talks about doing the will of God, who sent him. In today’s passage Jesus tells his disciples, “We must do the works of him who sent me.” Though he doesn’t say here what those works are, Jesus shows through his actions who he is and why he came.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

Jesus gives sight to a man who was born blind.

When we read further in John 9, we find that this healing caused quite a stir among the crowds, the Pharisees, and even the blind man’s parents. People born blind don’t get their sight back—at least not until Jesus comes along.

As he sets the stage for this healing, Jesus declares, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.” In this episode Jesus is making a bold claim and showing those who are present that He is 1000% God’s chosen servant.

As Isaiah 42:7 proclaimed, God’s servant would “open eyes that are blind” (see also Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19).

God’s will for Jesus was to usher in the renewing kingdom of God.

God’s kingdom brings hope, healing and includes all whom he calls to believe in him—from all backgrounds. This healing and the vivid inclusion of all kinds of people provide the joyful evidence Jesus truly is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

There’s no single day where we are excluded from or excused from being God’s servant even if that day is a family day of great celebration of all the Lord did.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 25 Easy-to-Read Version

[a] A song of David.

25 Lord, I put my life in your hands.[b]
2     I trust in you, my God,
and I will not be disappointed.
    My enemies will not laugh at me.
3 No one who trusts in you will be disappointed.
    But disappointment will come to those who try to deceive others.
    They will get nothing.

4 Lord, help me learn your ways.
    Show me how you want me to live.
5 Guide me and teach me your truths.
    You are my God, my Savior.
    You are the one I have been waiting for.
6 Remember to be kind to me, Lord.
    Show me the tender love that you have always had.
7 Don’t remember the sinful things I did when I was young.
    Because you are good, Lord, remember me with your faithful love.

8 The Lord is good and does what is right.
    He shows sinners the right way to live.
9 He teaches his ways to humble people.
    He leads them with fairness.
10 The Lord is kind and true to those
    who obey what he said in his agreement.

11 Lord, I have done many wrong things.
    But I ask you to forgive them all to show your goodness.

12 When people choose to follow the Lord,
    he shows them the best way to live.
13 They will enjoy good things,
    and their children will get the land God promised.
14 The Lord tells his secrets to his followers.
    He teaches them about his agreement.
15 I always look to the Lord for help.
    Only he can free me from my troubles.[c]

16 I am hurt and lonely.
    Turn to me, and show me mercy.
17 Free me from my troubles.
    Help me solve my problems.
18 Look at my trials and troubles.
    Forgive me for all the sins I have done.
19 Look at all the enemies I have.
    They hate me and want to hurt me.
20 Protect me! Save me from them!
    I come to you for protection, so don’t let me be disappointed.
21 You are good and do what is right.
    I trust you to protect me.
22 God, save the people of Israel
    from all their enemies.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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In Excelsis Deo! Let all Heaven and Nature Sing their Mighty Chorus at their revelation of God’s Character. Romans 1:19-20

Romans 1:18-23 The Message

Ignoring God Leads to a Downward Spiral

18-23 But God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Our Creator’s qualities are always and forever on full display in creation.

Without fail, each and every time we go outside to explore nature, we can learn something new, exciting, awe-inspiring, wonderfully different about God.

Romans 1:19-20 explains that those who want to know more about God can discover his qualities in the natural world:

“For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

Whenever we are immersed in the wonder of nature, we are reminded that we have a wise and loving Creator who sustains all of creation – including us – in powerful ways which will forever and ever, echelons beyond our own creativity.

Here’s how five aspects of nature commonly found around the world – the sun, water, rocks, trees, and flowers – serve to reveal the wonder of God’s character,

1. The Sun Reveals God’s Life, Hope, and Wisdom

God is the ultimate light, and the sun shines a spotlight on that reality.

The sun symbolizes life coming from a loving Creator who cares for creation.

It shows us the full length, breath, depth, and height of God’s fiery love, which motivates him to give us life and sustain our lives.

The Bible calls God the “sun of righteousness” in Malachi 4:2, “true light” in John 1:9, “light of the world” in John 8:12, “consuming fire” in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Hebrews 12:29, “refiner’s fire” in Malachi 3:2, and “bright morning star” in Revelation 22:16.

Just as all forms of life on Earth need sunlight to grow physically, we need the light of unbreakable loving relationships connected to God to grow spiritually.

The sun sheds light on how God shines hope into the darkness of this fallen world.

The Bible uses light imagery in Ephesians 1:18-19 when describing the hope God offers: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you.”

Physically, light always overpowers darkness. The photons in light can dispel darkness, but darkness cannot dispel light. You can see this by entering a dark room and turning on a flashlight there. The light will be visible in the darkness, even if there’s just a small amount of light in a greater amount of darkness.

This same principle applies spiritually, as the light of hope is always stronger than the darkness of discouragement and despair.

No matter how dark our circumstances are, God can change them for the better by shining his light of hope into our lives.

Also, the sun reveals how God enlightens us with wisdom to know the truth and make the best choices.

The Bible connects light with wisdom in 2 Corinthians 4:6, proclaiming that God “made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Jesus says he is the source of enlightenment: “‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

2. Water Reveals God’s Salvation Work, Clarity, Purity, and Mercy

Water splashes God’s salvation work into our focus.

In John 4:10, Jesus uses the term “living water” to declare his role as the world’s Savior.

A few verses later, Jesus uses the imagery of water to describe his gift of salvation: “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14).

Water, which is essential for our bodies to thrive, points us toward saving relationships with God so our souls can thrive.

Water is constantly moving around our planet through natural cycles such as precipitation; evaporation; freezing, melting; currents in oceans, rivers, and lakes; the flow of groundwater, etc.

God is moving in our lives in every single moment, often unseen but always at work. Water contains wondrous power that people tap into for hydropower energy, which reminds us of God’s even greater power to transform our lives.

Water, which has reflective qualities, also shows how the Holy Spirit counsels us with wise guidance.

God does so when we reflect on our lives and ask for his help to live well.

Water symbolizes clarity and purity.

It inspires us to look clearly at our lives and purify them by working with God for positive change to happen. 

Finally, water symbolizes God’s great mercy toward us. (Psalm 23:2)

Just as water cleanses our bodies from dirt, God cleanses our souls from sin.

The ancient practice of baptism in water shows this.

As people immerse themselves underwater, they accept God’s forgiveness and let their sins wash away.

As they rise from the water, they celebrate God’s salvation gift through Christ, made possible by his resurrection.

3. Rocks Reveal God’s Trustworthiness, Handiwork, and Eternal Yet Dynamic Nature

Rocks, which are reliably strong, point to the fact God is trustworthy.

The Bible calls God “rock” in First Corinthians10:4, “living stone” in 1 Peter 2:4, and “cornerstone” in Isaiah 28:16.

Any type of rock can inspire awe in us, which deepens our trust in God.

As Deuteronomy 32:4 declares: “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

The wonder of God’s handiwork is on display in every rock – from small pebbles at a creek to huge boulders on a mountain.

Beautiful gemstone rocks called crystals display God’s craftmanship in special ways.

Chapter 28 of the Book of Exodus describes how God instructed Moses to have the Hebrew people make a breastplate with 12 different gemstones.

Each gem stone represented one of the 12 tribes of Israel and included crystals with a deep beauty people continue to admire today: amethyst, ruby, sapphire, emerald, topaz, turquoise, and more.

Rocks also reflect God’s eternal yet dynamic nature.

The 3 different types of rocks on Earth all have long-lasting durability yet are formed through dynamic processes.

Metamorphic rocks come from intense heat and pressure, igneous rocks result from volcanic explosions, sedimentary rocks form when layers of sediments compact together and harden.

Rocks literally and figuratively set the ancient history of our planet in stone. 

4. Trees Reveal God’s Wisdom, Protection, and Connected Presence

Trees grow our perspective so we can understand more of God’s wisdom and protection for us. 

Jeremiah 33:15 uses tree imagery in a prophecy about Jesus coming to Earth in the future.

“In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.”

Trees, which stand tall as silent guardians of all around them, can help us put deep roots into the solid unshakeable ground of God’s loving care for us.

Experiencing the wonder of trees can teach us invaluable lessons when we take the time to learn them. Trees, which tower over us, easily exceed our lifespans, enlarge our perspective. They show we are each part of something much bigger, echelons more ancient than ourselves, can look beyond circumstances to God.

Since trees stand in the same places for years, they also reflect God’s constant presence in our lives. God’s love constantly flows through the living branches of relationships between us and other people. Trees remind us our personal stories are firmly connected, rooted to a greater story of what God is doing on Earth. 

5. Flowers Reveal God’s Order, Fun, and Beauty

Flowers make our minds blossom with an awareness of God’s beauty.

They display the mix of God’s orderly intelligence with fun, playful ideas.

The wonder of flowers reminds us that God is the ultimate master gardener.

God formed the first human being out of soil (Genesis 2:7) – the same environment that nourishes flowers – and loves to see us grow and bloom.

Jesus empowers that to happen when we’re in relationship with him.

He compares himself to a flowering plant (a vine) when he says,

“I am the true vine and my father is the gardener” (John 15:1) and “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Jesus was resurrected from a garden tomb, redeeming humanity’s fall that had happened in the Garden of Eden.

All flowers have short lives.

They bloom briefly, only to decay soon afterward.

Yet God sees value in the wonder of all creation – even a lowly flower.

The Bible compares people to flowers numerous times and describes God’s care for both:

“Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you – you of little faith!” (Luke 12:27-28).

Flowers are living reminders of the beauty of our Creator’s love for creation, and the wonderful joy we can each experience when we’re connected to him.

The wild beauty of nature resonates deep in our souls, reminding us that a powerful Creator cares for us.

Whether we’re hiking through a forest, swimming in a lake, or sniffing a rose, God will meet us there. Simply going outdoors in any natural setting can reveal something echelons beyond wonderful to us about God’s perfect character!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 19

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven,
and his circuit unto the ends of it:
and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors?
cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright,
and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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What insights might we glean from Joseph’s obedience to the command of the angel in God’s nativity story? Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew 1:18-25 New International Version

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: 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. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 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. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d]  (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

It’s easy to overlook Joseph’s role in the Christmas story. However, when you look ever more closely to the text, you realize his obedience to God was a critical component of the story. In fact, without his obedience, we can wonder how this story would have played out. Thankfully, we don’t have to wonder about that.

Joseph is commanded by God to by faith, step into a role that truly is beyond extraordinary, and he does it with an immense measure of counter cultural courage. He listens, responds to God’s call repeatedly, with a resounding yes.

That’s why it’s enormously important for us to explore some important lessons from Joseph’s obedience. Going against the grain of what he had been taught, these lessons from his life should mightily inspire you to trust God even more deeply than you do now, to listen closely, and walk confidently, especially when you realize God is ordering your every step of your life and its not a normal step.

Go, and learn what this vital piece of God’s wisdom means …

Proverbs 16:9 New International Version

9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.

We know what the law will allow us to do and so we seek to obey the laws.

There are specific laws governing the granting of a divorce which comes from the writings and the teachings of the Mosaic laws and its rabbinical applications throughout the years. Joseph, being a man with high integrity sought them out.

Clearly, Joseph was an ardent adherent to these laws not wanting to disgrace his fiancé’ Mary. In obedience to them, he sought out to quietly, but legally divorce.

Then the angel of God interceded … Matthew 1:20-21 NIV

20 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. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

Now, the inner conflict becomes …

Strict obedience: the Laws of Moses, to the teaching of generations of Rabbi’s which he had been educated and taught in the Temple from his early boyhood?

Strict obedience to the words of an angel, message from God, in one dream?

How seriously should Joseph consider that one specific dream?

Do we take .01% seriously the supposed messages and images from our dreams? seriously enough to dramatically change the course of our lives, families lives?

Can we acknowledge or recognize, confess we believe the dream is 100% divine?

How eagerly are we to acknowledge this dream as being from God, then enter, with everything we have and everything we are (Matthew 22:34-40), to utterly set aside all of what our Father’s and Mother’s and Temple educators taught us? (read, study, apply, pray over too these Words of God-Psalm 16, 23) and choose.

powerful lessons from Joseph’s obedience in Christmas story.

1. Obedience Sometimes Forces You to Make the very Toughest of Decisions.

“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” (Matthew 1:19).

When we meet Joseph in the gospel of Matthew, he is facing a dilemma.

The woman he has pledged to marry finds herself pregnant.

Because he knows he didn’t do it, he decides to divorce Mary, but he wants to do it quietly. In Jewish law, being pledged to be married was seen as being married.

According to Jewish law, when Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, and he was not the father, he had a right to divorce her.

The fact he wanted to do it quietly speaks to his character, because he saved Mary from shame, judgment, and possibly even an egregious death.

Joseph faced a challenging decision because he first had to believe that Mary could be pregnant and still be a virgin.

We look back now and understand, but imagine you were the one the angel told that to. How long would it take you to believe it? Once he overcame that hurdle, his obedience also meant he had to take on the responsibility of raising a child that was not his biological child.

Yet, the Bible does not indicate that he was reluctant or scornful in doing that.

Joseph probably had to deal with his own level of shame because his fiancée winds up pregnant not by relations with her husband but by the Holy Spirit and he must come to a place of total Shalom to accept it. Who knows if others tried to talk him out of marrying Mary, and we don’t know what people said of him.

Yet, his obedience to what God told him to do meant that he was willing to handle all those hard decisions and whatever consequences came with them.

One hard truth about our Christian walk is that God will walk with you through every step. However, obedience does not mean those steps will always be easy.

Joseph most likely faced serious scorn and ridicule for his obedience to God, yet he made the decision, stuck with it and endured it. Ironically, the one child Mary gave birth to also faced scorn and ridicule, and his obedience led him to die on a cross. While obedience is necessary, don’t assume it will always be easy.

When You Know It’s the Lord, Don’t Delay Your Obedience

“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife” (Matthew 1:24).

One quality that stood out in Joseph’s obedience was his immediate response to God’s command.

When God spoke, Joseph didn’t hesitate or question; he moved.

Think about the changes he had to experience in his life.

Here’s a man ready to marry Mary when his life takes a complete turn.

He marries a pregnant woman carrying a child that he did not father.

Yet, instead of arguing or delaying, Joseph trusts God’s voice and takes action right away.

Here is one thing we can learn from Joseph’s obedience – when you know it’s God speaking, the time to act is now.

The longer you delay, the greater the chance that doubt, distractions, or even disobedience can creep in and pull you away from what God wants you to do.

Joseph models for us a powerful principle of quick obedience. When God asks something of us, we may not always understand the “why” behind it. But it is not always about why, more importantly, it is about trusting the “who.”

Joseph may not have understood the entire process, but he trusted the God who was leading him.

Rarely in life will God give us the complete picture, at least not immediately.

However, once you know it’s God leading you, then it is time to move and not put it off.

There is a blessing in obeying without delay, following God’s lead, trusting he knows best, even when the request seems challenging or even overwhelming.

When you obey without delay, like Joseph did, that is when you will see how God’s plan unfolds powerfully in your life.

Sometimes Obedience Requires Sudden Changes

“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt” (Matthew 2:13-14).

God’s call doesn’t just require immediate obedience.

Sometimes sudden and radical changes accompany it.

This happened to Joseph.

Put yourself in his shoes for a moment. Joseph is settling in Bethlehem, starting his new life with Mary and their child.

Then, out of nowhere, God interrupts with a new command.

He now must leave the comfort of his home and move his family to Egypt.

A new country, new land, and they must go now with no advanced warning.

This was, by no means, not a gradual transition; this was an immediate one.

Think about what that would mean for him and his family.

The journey from Bethlehem to Egypt could have been anywhere from 40 to 300 miles, depending on their starting and destination points.

That’s similar to the distance between NYC and Pittsburgh, but without the convenience of modern transportation.

Joseph couldn’t fly, take a train, or drive. He had to take his young family, likely on foot or on a donkey, all while facing the truest uncertainty of what lay ahead.

However, again we see Joseph obeyed immediately and without complaint.

So what is the message for us?

Sometimes, God’s instructions will require a drastic, sudden change.

There will be times where you may even be in a comfortable position, yet God requires you to move, anyway. Obedience may mean shifting your plans and embracing the unknown, all because you trust God sees what you cannot.

Joseph teaches us to respond to God’s voice, even if it requires sudden, hard moves. Your confidence lies in the fact that when God calls, he equips too, he provides, and in every step, he is right there with you, so you don’t walk alone.

Obedience Requires us; Be in Tune to How God Is Speaking to us

If you think Joseph’s rapid obedience came from nowhere, it didn’t.

Joseph was quick to obey because he understood and recognized when God was speaking to him.

When God spoke to Joseph in a dream, he didn’t hesitate or second-guess; he moved.

Why was he able to do that?

Because he recognized how God was speaking to him.

He didn’t need a second sign or another confirmation.

He knew it was God, and that was enough for him to act immediately.

Joseph’s response challenges me, and I wonder if it challenges you, too. I

n your walk with God, the key to obedience often starts with tuning your heart to hear Him clearly.

Here is the question that is challenging – God still speaks today, but are you listening?

The challenge isn’t God speaking, but do we recognize his voice?

God might speak through Scripture, prayer, a gentle nudge in your spirit, through the counsel of others, or even through the circumstances of life.

But if we’re not familiar with his voice, then we can miss it because we don’t know it is his voice.

Joseph teaches us that if we are going to be in a relationship with the Lord, then we must know his voice.

Listening to God is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing part of your relationship.

As you cultivate your relationship, you will be able to fine tune your ear to his voice and know when he is speaking.

The more familiar you are with his voice, the better positioned you will be to respond, even when he asks something unexpected.

So, let’s make it our priority to tune our ears and hearts to God’s voice and recognize it quickly, just like Joseph did, so we, too, obey without hesitation.

There Cannot Be Great Obedience without Great Faith

Hebrews 11:4-8 New International Version

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

The last lesson to share with you from Joseph is the reality that there cannot be great obedience without great faith.

We have established that obeying God is not always easy, sometimes it is very hard. Was it easy for Joseph to marry Mary?

Was it easy to pack up his family and move to Egypt without knowing how long they would be there?

These are difficult decisions, and the only way you can follow God in these situations is if you have great faith.

When Joseph did what God asked him, all he had was trust that God would work everything out.

Let’s not pretend his obedience did not come with some trepidation, because it probably did.

After all, he was human, just like you and me.

However, when you have faith in God, your faith can calm those fears.

There is something unique about obedience.

The more you obey, the more your faith grows.

Each moment of obedience is an opportunity for God to prove himself faithful and that’s why when you walk in obedience it helps your faith to grow.

As you obediently think about Joseph today, is there something God is asking of you?

Something where you don’t know the outcome and all you can do is trust him?

These are the difficult moments that come with obedience.

I know these decisions are not always easy, but you can trust God because he will not steer you wrong.

You may not see it at first, but God has already worked out the other side of your obedience.

As you walk and obey, then things will become clearer.

If you don’t believe me, just look back at the life of Joseph.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 8 Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 8

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.

1 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies,
that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers,
the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 what is man, that thou art mindful of him?
and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,
and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands;
thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea,
and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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