Not everyone rejoiced at Jesus' birth

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." Matthew 2:13

Three amazing things happen in this verse. First, an angel speaks to Joseph in a dream. It's not recorded in this verse, but the Bible tells us that Joseph obeyed that warning (also an amazing thing!). Second, the angel promises to revisit Joseph and direct him further. Third, someone wants to kill the Messiah. The threats on Jesus' life began the minute he was born, but it wasn't time yet. God's plan would not be thwarted. He is sovereign and kind, and He wants to fulfill a plan in your life.

Dear God, please help us recognize your direction and your plan for our individual lives. May we never try to kill the Savior in our hearts or try to silence your plan for the world. Thank you for your kindness. Help us walk close to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Who can you commit to praying for, that their heart would be softened and their eyes opened to the truth?

The shepherds respond to Jesus' birth

[The shepherds] hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child...The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Luke 2:16, 17, 20

The New Living Translation of the Bible uses the word 'terrified' to describe the shepherds initial response to the angel who told them about Jesus' birth. In the end, though, they hurried to meet the newborn Savior. After meeting Him, they couldn't keep the Good News to themselves. Not only did they tell everyone, they praised God. It is not our first reaction to Jesus that defines our lives. It is what we do with the Good News that determines our eternity.

Dear Jesus, thank you again for coming to a fallen world and living as a man so we could live in paradise with You forever. Define our lives. May we be full of praise as those shepherds were and glorify God for all the world to see. In Your name, Amen.


What was your first reaction to Jesus? Has it changed?

Jumping for joy

"When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy." Luke 1:44

Even before he was born, John (Jesus' cousin and later known as John the Baptist) jumped for joy to be near Jesus. For the rest of his life, John would proclaim the Good News about a Savior, born of a virgin, come to "take away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). No matter what the situation looked like, no matter who he spoke to, no matter what the consequences, John spoke boldly for the Messiah and jumped for joy to be near Him.

Dear God, thank you again for sending your Son to be our Savior. Thank you for bringing us to realize our need. Jesus, thank you for being born. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Do you jump for joy to be near Jesus? How would you react if you could physically see and touch Him?

Does seeing and hearing lead to believing?

"We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:3

I'm sitting in a popular coffee shop, listening to the elevator music and pieces of conversation that float around me. Over the din comes a man's voice, speaking slowly, carefully forming each word.

"How are you feeling, Mom?" He's on the phone several booths away, but I hear his voice as if he sits beside me. He waits while she speaks.

"I know you're tired. Let me pray for you before we go." He has to repeat it twice, and each time he expresses patience and kindness.

And to my astonishment, he prays. Loudly. Slowly. With the entire coffee shop listening. I'm embarrassed and saddened to admit that this astonishes me. How different would our world be if we all took opportunities as this man does, as the disciples did, to pray for others? To do so without shrinking or puffing ourselves up? And in praying, to actually see and hear and have fellowship with Jesus and His followers?

For those of you that don't know Jesus, let me say this: sometimes having a personal interaction with Him looks different than we expect. It's not ethereal or mysterious. It's not soul-shaking. It doesn't alter the planets. But hopefully it alters us, and in time it should shake our souls to the point of seeking Jesus and everything He stands for.

This man's simple action of love altered my day. Changed the course of my actions. I pray you see and hear Jesus in your life through simple actions of love, that your actions and your souls are shaken by knowing Him. And I pray that, seeing and hearing, you believe and accept Him.

"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God." John 1:12-13

Whether or not you believe Jesus is the Savior of the world, have you had a personal experience that brought you closer to accepting Him? Please share your thoughts with us!

Hallowed Be Your Name

        
 "Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name"       Matthew 6:9



 What does it mean for the name of God to be  "hallowed"?  


To hallow means to consecrate or set apart as holy.  Have you ever noticed that there are many references in scripture that provide descriptive traits of God?  "Father" is a term most of us are familiar with, but let's consider a few more traits of God that give reason for his name to be hallowed. 


In Exodus 3, God describes himself to Moses as "I Am Who I Am" or in another translation "I Will Be Who I Will Be" which the translator interpreted to mean "My nature will become evident through my actions".   God reveals aspects of His Character to us through a myriad of lifetime situations and intimate relationship with believers. 


Further in Exodus, God describes himself to Moses using more concrete terms.  In Exodus 34, God describes himself as a 'compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin'.   Who do you know that you could ascribe these characteristics continuously, every day, every week, every year?    


In Luke 1, Mary and Zechariah refer to God as Savior who has brought salvation to them, referring to the near future birth of "The Savior" Jesus Christ.  Romans 10 says that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  Saved from what?  Eternal separation from God. 


Our God is robed in a nature higher than that of the best human.  He is consistent in the face of evil, faithful to the end of time, cares about the weak, poor, and oppressed, always judges with objectivity according to his laws, always forgives, and always perseveres with humanity to salvation.  He deserves a place of consecration above all others who offer some form of salvation yet come and go on the screen of history.  God is creator, they the created.  God is generous, they receive from him.  God is savior, they granted salvation. 


His name is higher than any other!  


Father God - show us what it means to cradle your name in a holy place in our lives.  We lift your name up in the sea of those who desire to be equal to you by offering their plans of salvation.  Only you can truly provide salvation from the sin that binds us.  Show us your character through our times of prayer and through the situations that crop up each day.   Teach us to consecrate your name as holy. 


May you be blessed by lifting up the name of our God.
Carol