A Birth Foretold

As we approach the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we often hear many questions and challenges of His birth. The commercialization of Christmas has caused many to forget the original reason behind Christmas.

It may come as a surprise to many, but based on historical, astronomical, and Scriptural evidence, it is very likely Jesus was actually born sometime between March-May in 5 BC. The early church and the gospel writers were not concerned with a specific date. Therefore, none has been given to us.

To be honest with you, I find no reason we need a specific date. It is good that we remember His birth. Yet, we should remember His birth, life, death, and resurrection every day of the year. However, as westerners, concerned with preciseness at times to a fault, we schedule a remembrance and a celebration.

In some ways, it is unfortunate. We set a date to remember and forget for much of the rest of the year. Oh, it is wonderful most of the world will hear more about Jesus during this time of year. It certainly cannot hurt to tell the story of His birth many times over for a handful of weeks. Who knows? It just may be the only time some will hear the good news.

Jesus’ birth was foretold more than seven hundred years in advance by Isaiah. But Isaiah didn’t dwell much on His birth either. His prophecy was more about the good news of what Jesus would accomplish and the purpose of His life, than His birth.

Make no mistake, we should not minimize Jesus’ birth. It was a miraculous birth, a gift from God, and needed. After all, we wouldn’t be nearly as accepting if God simply stepped into our world for a couple of years to teach then step back out. There would be too many similarities to the myths of the Greek gods or the gods of other cultures.

Yes, Jesus’ birth is extremely important. God becoming a newborn babe, growing through childhood into an adult, and ultimately dying for each one of us is something to be celebrated. Knowing God planned it hundreds of years earlier simply makes it more amazing.

I pray we all spend some quiet time contemplating Jesus’ birth. I pray we come to a better understanding of the miracle of it all. I pray each one of us recognize the awesomeness of God this Christmas season. Spend quiet time with God. Contemplate His mighty works. Celebrate Jesus’ birth. Praise God. Be in awe of God.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Amazing Faith

Have you had someone in your life that you looked up to? Has there been someone you thought was a wonderful role model? Is that person a person of faith? Has their faith been solid throughout the years? Would you like to have a faith like them?

Most of us, as we grow up, have someone we look up to. It may be a parent, a coach, a teacher, or even an older sibling. Some of us have people we admire for one quality or another when we are adults. Sometimes, we take on their qualities that we admire.

There have a been a couple of men in my life that I looked up to for different reasons. One was a Warrant Officer when I was a young Marine. I was early in my career and he was this wizened old man that gave some very sage advice. Of course, as I look back now, he wasn’t as old as my 20-year-old self thought he was. But I can still hear his advice and it is still relevant.

The other is a man that taught me a lot about thinking through God’s Word. He and I had many long conversations, especially as I was going through a tough time. He also gave some sage advice, though from a different perspective. I treasure our talks, even if we don’t have them near as often now as we once did.

We have examples of some amazing faith in the Bible. I venture to say Mary is toward the top of the list, if not at the very top. As a young girl, likely between the ages of 12-16 when Gabriel visits her, demonstrated a rare faith. It was a short conversation, but she did not hesitate. She humbled herself to God’s will.

Mary set an example for us to follow. Oh, I doubt we will have Gabriel show up on our doorstep to deliver a message about God’s plan for our lives, but we do receive messages. Our messages come by reading the Bible, praying (both requesting and listening), and from other believers.

God continues to work in this world. He continues to provide us guidance. He does it much the same way He always has. You see, visits from angels are extremely rare, even in the Bible. Perhaps we should be on the lookout for God’s messages and be willing to follow them in faith, much like Mary

I pray we all look and listen for God’s messages. I pray we decide to follow His guidance. I pray each one of us will demonstrate a faith like Mary’s. Look for God working. Listen for God’s voice through others. Have a faith like Mary. Ask God to increase your faith. Trust God.

Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

God’s Warnings

Do you prefer to have a warning something is going to happen? Do you like to know ahead of time when you are scheduled to leave on a trip? Are you someone who plans and prepares for events well in advance? Do you listen when given a heads up?

I venture to guess most of us prefer to know in advance of events that require us to be present or to do something for them, even if it merely requires our attendance. After all, it is taking our time. We may need to dress special for the event. We may need to prepare food for it.

Our culture runs on schedules. Our businesses set schedules for deliveries and workers. We make appointments for vehicle maintenance. Our schools operate on schedules. We schedule family get togethers. Woe to the person who disrupts the schedule.

God also set a schedule. He planned out the time of Jesus’ birth. Not only did He plan the birth, but He also planned a messenger to provide a warning ahead of Jesus’ ministry. God is a God of second chances. He provides warnings, forgiveness, and continuous love.

God foretold His Son coming to this world and He foretold of the messenger coming to provide the warning. Think about that for a minute. God gave a warning that there would be a warning. He gave a heads up that there would be a heads up. Yet, many people in Israel missed both.

Do we miss the warnings of God? Are our eyes and ears open to see and hear the warnings God is providing us? Speaking from my own personal experience, I’ve missed warnings. Now, that doesn’t mean there is always a warning, but I can certainly look back and see there was a warning being provided and I’m guessing you can, too.

May I suggest that we all slow down during this time of advent and look for warnings? Perhaps God has been preparing us for something new. Maybe this pandemic is a way of changing our direction. It could be that God raised our awareness about something we’ve been doing wrong. God might be warning us to change our attitudes, return to Him, and make Him a priority again.

I pray we all review our lives for warnings from God. I pray we pause to contemplate God working in our lives. I pray each one of us makes God a priority each day. Look for God’s warning signs. Think about God each day. Pray to God each day. Make God a priority. Trust God. Return to Him.

Malachi 4:5-6 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

God Has A Plan

Have you ever wondered how long God planned out the birth of Jesus? Have you stopped to think about God’s plan for you? Have you considered that He may have something in motion for you that won’t come to pass for years?

Our typical human nature is to think about today. Oh, we may think a tad about the future, putting some savings away or planning to buy a house, but we don’t think about what God is doing nor His plan for us in the years to come. Yet, God is at work all the same.

We see in Jeremiah that God had already planned to send His Son to be the Savior of the world…some six hundred years in advance. Isn’t it amazing? God knows every move and just the right time to act. He sent Jesus exactly when He planned, and all the prophecies point to it. Think about it. The prophecies God gave to the various prophets of the Old Testament mentioned Him being a Nazarene, coming out of Egypt, being born in the town of David, and being born of a virgin. I could mention more prophecies, but you get the picture. God knows and God plans.

God even planned giving the messages to the prophets. He provided different bits of information to each of them. Now, you might ask why He didn’t simply provide the whole picture, rather than just providing tidbits. I’m not sure we will know until we see Him face-to-face. Yet, we do know that God works in mysterious ways.

As we observe how He planned out the arrival of Jesus, we need to ask ourselves what He has planned for us. We might want to look back at our lives to see how He has prepared us. We should take stock of those preparations and look forward to what He will do in the future.

Jesus fulfilled the prophecy and plan of God. He continues to do so to this day and will continue until the end of time. Wouldn’t it make sense for us to do the same? God has a wonderful plan for each of us. He wants us to trust Him and He wants to provide us with an abundant life. What could be better?

I pray we all take time to review how God has worked in our lives. I pray we look forward to how God will continue to work in our lives. I pray each one of us will contemplate God’s plan during this advent season. Trust God. Look at your past. Look forward to the future. Fulfill God’s plan for you.

Jeremiah 33:15, 17-18 “‘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.’…For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’”

God of Impossibilities

Do you face an impossible task? Are you staring up at a mountain of troubles? Do you feel as though you have gotten in over your head? Are you looking for a helping hand, or perhaps a miracle worker? Are you willing to put it in God’s hands?

Sooner or later, we all face some tough times. They may be financial. It may be a relationship. Perhaps a job loss or change or retirement. We will face some difficulty in our lives that will bring us to our knees. We simply don’t know when or what.

When we face difficulties, we typically look for help. We ask for advice from someone we trust. We reach out to family and friends. It is in those particularly difficult times we find out who truly cares for us; those who are willing to give us the shirt off their back, give us their last dollar. People with that attitude are rare. There is a quality about them that shines through.

There is also one other we can trust at all times—God. He is always there, patiently waiting for us to come to Him. As we see in today’s passage, there is nothing God can’t handle. We must remember that He is all powerful, He created everything.

Unfortunately, we often turn to God as a last resort. We allow things to fester to the point of bursting before we look up to ask God to intervene. He is certainly capable of snatching us out of the cauldron, but more times than not, He will allow us to feel some of the heat to teach us a lesson.

God wants a relationship with us. He longs for us to talk with Him every day. When we do, we find God speaking to us, guiding us every step of the way. We find a strength not of our own, but from God. He holds our hand, and even carries us when we can’t continue on our own.

Yet, if you have never turned to God, don’t hesitate, especially if you are in the midst of a storm. God can do the impossible. We simply need to fall to our knees, turn our hearts over to Him, and trust Him with our problem.

I pray we all turn to God each day. I pray we spend time in prayer with Him, both requesting and listening. I pray each one of us reach out to God with our troubles and trust Him. Trust God. All things are possible with God. Turn your troubles over to Him. Turn your heart over to God.

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Everlasting Dominion

Have you ever experienced something coming true that a friend or relative told you would happen? Have you foretold something and seen it occur? Do you expect promises to be fulfilled? Do you trust God to fulfill His?

I am sure that most of us have experienced a promise being fulfilled. Perhaps it was our Dad stating he would be at our basketball game and he was there. Maybe our Mom promised to buy a new dress for us to wear on Easter and she did. It could be that we have fulfilled a promise we made.

Promises are us giving our word that we will do something in the future. Often, in our human ways, we set a specific date and time for their fulfillment. If the promise was made to us, we look forward to them coming true, especially if it is a promise that we see as good.

God makes promises as well. He has made many promises over the thousands of years. One of His promises was sending Jesus to establish a new covenant with His people. He made this promise more than five hundred years before Jesus was born. For many of us, it is unfathomable to think we might have to wait that long for a promise to be fulfilled. Yet, the nation of Israel waited.

We see in today’s passage that Daniel was provided a vision that showed the reign of Jesus forever. So, Daniel’s vision was not of Christ’s birth, but of His reign at the end of time. He saw the implementation and the result of it.

Today, we read Daniel in English and don’t think much about it being in our language. Yet, when Daniel wrote his book, it was written in two different languages. The first half, which was mostly history, was written in Aramaic, which meant the educated people throughout the known world could read it. The second half of the book, which is apocalyptic, was written in Hebrew, meaning only the Jews could read it. Today’s Scripture was originally written in Hebrew and meant for the Jews to provide them hope of a future King while they were captives in Babylon.

God’s plan has been in motion for thousands of years. He continues to execute His plan on His timeline. We continue to wait during this advent season for Jesus’ return. Daniel’s vision and prophecy are yet to be fulfilled, more than twenty-five hundred years later. We wait, much like the Jews of the Old Testament waited, for the fulfillment of God’s plan.

I pray we all wait patiently for God to fulfill His promise. I pray while we wait that we take action to bring others into the waiting room. I pray each one of us will share the good news of Jesus with others. Wait patiently. Take action while waiting. Trust God. Share Jesus. Be a light.

Daniel 7:14 “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

Jesus’ Return

Have you ever wondered about the end times? Do you wonder what it will be like when Jesus returns? Are you confused by all that you read about His return? Do you want to know what the truth is about the end of time?

We don’t often think about the end of time nor Jesus’ return. Yet, during this time of advent, that is a future event we are to ponder. True, we are to reflect on the His birth and celebrate it. But we are to also to look forward to His return.

We are caught between Jesus birth and His return. Sometimes, it seems like a strange place to be. We reflect on the past, meaning His birth a little more than two thousand years ago, while also preparing for His return, which is unknown.

Jesus gives us a clue of what it will be like when He returns. In His discourse in Matthew 24:1-35, He speaks to several different events that will take place leading up to His return. He tells us about false prophets who will deceive many people. He speaks of people erroneously crying out the Messiah is coming. He speaks of many wars and people denying their faith. All of these things must take place before Jesus returns.

Skipping ahead to verse 36, Jesus states that no one knows when He will return, not even Him. Only the Father knows when the appointed time for Jesus to return is. If that is so, why do humans try to predict it and why do we listen to them?

There will be no mistake when He does return. In fact, all the earth will recognize it when it happens. Those of us who are His followers will be swept up with Him and those who are not will mourn. It will be a glorious day for God and for us.

Jesus tells us the current heaven and earth will pass away. There will be a new heaven and new earth. We are told that God will live among His people and He will be the everlasting light to them. Isn’t it a wonderful thing to ponder during this advent season?

I pray we all reflect on the birth of Jesus. I pray we ponder His future return. I pray each one of us prepares for His unknown return each day of our lives. Reflect on Jesus’ birth. Look forward to Jesus’ return. Prepare for the future. Seek God each day.

Matthew 24:30-31 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Perfect Timing

Have you ever experienced having something you needed show up at just the right time? Did you wonder how that happened? Could it be that God is setting things up in advance for you? Or do you think it is simply random, blind luck?

If we’ve lived enough years and paid attention, we have all experienced something unexpected happening just when we needed it. We may have thought we were doomed, and someone showed up. Perhaps an unexpected refund check came in the mail.

Many people in this world will chalk these events up to being lucky. They may even believe they deserved to be rescued, and it is the “universe” rewarding them. We may hear someone say they knew it was going to happen, and they play it off with bravado.

Those of us who follow Jesus Christ should not think it blind luck to be rescued. We believe in a God who created all things, knows all, is everywhere, and loves His children. Now, this doesn’t mean God will always pull us out of a bad situation. Sometimes He wants us to learn a lesson, grow or mature in our thinking. Yet, He does move in mysterious ways.

Let’s take a look at one situation where God set up events to take place at precisely the perfect time. The Jews read Scripture in the synagogue every Sabbath. They read a passage from the law of Moses, the prophets, and Psalms. There was a set schedule for their readings. I propose that God worked through the rabbi’s that set the schedule to set the precise dates each Scripture would be read.

As Jesus traveled through the countryside teaching His followers, He was operating on a specific schedule. Jesus showed up in a synagogue on a specific Sabbath and stepped forward to read from the prophets. The attendant of the scrolls handed Him the scroll for the scheduled reading. Jesus opened the scroll and read the prophecy of Himself and pronounced it was fulfilled on that day.

Now, I’m sure someone will question it being the reading for the day. They will argue that Jesus turned the scroll to the correct place. That is highly unlikely. You see, the attendant did not completely reroll the scroll. It was rolled such that as one side was unrolled, the other side was rolled and bound in such a way to keep the place marked properly. The attendant would have known the schedule and handed it to Jesus to read the appropriate Scripture. Yet, God knew the date and time for the reading, which meant Jesus knew as well.

I pray we all attribute the providing of our needs to God. I pray we realize God is working at all times. I pray each one of us will praise God for what He is doing on our behalf. God is at work. God is providing for you. God knows everything. Trust Him. Praise Him. Give thanks to Him.

Luke 4:16-17a He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.

The Anointing

Do you know what it means to be anointed with oil? Do you know anyone who has been anointed? Have you ever thought that Jesus was anointed…for multiple reasons? Do you know there are different types of anointing?

Anointing is not something we typically think about in our culture. If we are around certain religious circles, we may have heard of it or perhaps witnessed it. Yet, we likely haven’t thought about that experience in some time. It simply isn’t something we think about daily.

I’m guessing some of you are wondering about the question posted above concerning Jesus being anointed for multiple reasons. I’m sure many of you would state He was anointed as the Son of God. That is true, but there is a deeper meaning to it.

Anointing was historically done by the Jews for types of leaders. First, there was anointing of prophets. We can certainly state Jesus was a prophet. He foretold many things that took place before He was crucified, including His own death, burial, and resurrection. He also foretold what would happen at the end of time when He returns.

The second reason for anointing was for a priest. We have been told in multiple places in the New Testament that Jesus is our High Priest. As our High Priest, He intercedes for us on a daily basis, presenting Himself before the Father on our behalf.

The third reason for anointing was for a king. We all know Jesus it the King of kings. He is the ruler of the world. He will be the ruler of the new world. So, being anointed for all three reasons makes sense to us.

You might ask, when was He anointed? His anointing came by the Holy Spirit at His baptism. It is widely believed His baptism was an anointing for all three reasons. We are anointed as a priest, as well, by the Holy Spirit to be part of the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:8).

I pray each of us feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I pray we accept His anointing as a priest. I pray each of us takes on our role as a priest for Jesus. Accept His anointing. Take on the role of priest. Spread the good news about Jesus.

Hebrews 1:8-9

But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;

a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

Promise Proclaimed

Have you heard a proclamation? Have you heard news that is so good that you had to hurry to tell friends and family about it? Have you witnessed something so unbelievable you couldn’t wait to tell someone else? Have you seen a miracle?

We have all heard a proclamation at some time or another. I’m not talking about a person making a statement, but an official proclamation. It may have been a local official making an official announcement about a new ordinance that will take affect soon. Or maybe the owner of the company you work for announced significant safety measures will be enforced.

Typically, a proclamation is an official announcement concerning a significant change that will be implemented soon. It will impact many people’s lives. Some proclamations will change our lives for the better and some will have little or no affect. We take some to heart and others we discard quickly.

John the Baptist was curious about Jesus and sent his disciples to ask Him if He was the one who had been foretold. Jesus’ reply is simple and yet, doesn’t answer the question directly. Jesus allowed John to come to his own conclusions based on the facts.

However, Jesus’ answer leaves no room for John to mistake the message. The miracles He had performed could not have been performed by the average man. The good news being proclaimed was the seal, if there was any doubt left, as to who He was. It was the fulfillment of prophecy.

The good news proclaimed was the forgiveness of sins and God’s plan being implemented. It was a new world order being put in place. Those who were being oppressed could now take comfort that help was on its way. There would be a release from the prison of this world. A promise of eternity with God was being made.

As we know, Jesus was not proclaiming that He was going to remove the Romans from Israel. He wasn’t going to sit on a throne like David or any other king. His message was one of hope, love, joy, and salvation. His message affected more than our mortal lives.

The message Jesus proclaimed to His listeners is still valid today. We can take hold of the promise He made for eternity. His promise continues to be proclaimed today. We wait for its final fulfillment at an unknown time in the future.

I pray we all hear the proclamation of Jesus. I pray we take hold of His promises. I pray each of us will contemplate the hope, love, joy, and salvation Jesus provides to us. Hear Jesus’ message. Store His promise in your heart. Proclaim the good news to others. 

Luke 7:22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”