The Beloved

Do you desire to be loved by someone? Do you want to be called their beloved? Have you considered you are loved? Do you know that God loves you? Are you following his Beloved One?

We all want to be loved. It is part of our being. Because we are created in the image of God, we want to be loved, and we want to share our love. Go also wants us to share his love with others.

One way we can demonstrate our love for God is to obey his commands. Jesus gave the command to His disciples to baptize believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Therefore, we can follow His command by being baptized ourselves.

Jesus also states that if we love Him, we will keep (obey) His commandments (John 14:15). The two great commands to love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40) are the most important. He says that all the law and the prophets hang on these two commands. In other words, if we are obeying those two commands, we are following the law of God.

Jesus was obeying the Father when He was baptized. He was setting an example for us. It is important for us to follow His example. Perhaps that is why we restate our baptismal vows when we participate in someone else’s baptism.

I pray we all desire and honestly seek to obey Jesus’ commands. I pray we love God and love our neighbor. I pray each one of us will demonstrate God’s love to everyone we encounter each day. Know that God loves you. Seek to obey Jesus. Share God’s love with others.

Luke 3:21-22 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Holy Spirit and Fire

Are you seeking to improve yourself? What are you seeking to improve? How are you planning to improve? Do you think it will come easily? Or do you understand it will be challenging? Who are you asking to help with your improvement? Have you asked Jesus to help?

If we look for self-improvement books, we will find more than we can count. They come in a variety of topics, including relationships, money, habits, psychological, discipline, anxiety, thinking, and more. There are even more books to learn new skills.

Unfortunately, many of these books purport quick changes. When it comes to changing our way of thinking or ridding ourselves of bad habits, it often takes time. We can’t completely change ourselves in a day or two. We can take the first step. Though we may hear the phrase, “the first step is the hardest,” that is not true. The first step is hard. But it is the continual walking on the path of change that is the hardest. Therefore, we must discipline ourselves to stay the course.

John the Baptist speaks about Jesus before He shows up to ask John to baptize Him. He talks of Jesus baptizing us with the Holy Spirit and fire. The imagery is not to be taken literally. It is true that we will receive the Holy Spirit at our baptism. However, we are not literally baptized with fire. Yet, the analogy is appropriate. Much like silver and gold are refined and purified with fire, we are refined and purified by the Holy Spirit.

Our part is to be willing to be refined and purified. We can be changed through the work of the Holy Spirit if we are willing and continue to ask him to change us. It will not happen overnight. It takes time. Largely due to our unwillingness. The Holy Spirit chips away at our old self to reveal the person God created us to be. Over time, the impurities are taken away and the person God desires us to be is revealed.

I pray we all seek to improve ourselves. I pray we are willing to improve ourselves. I pray each one of us will allow and ask the Holy Spirit to refine and purify us, making us into the person God wants us to be. Seek self-improvement. Be willing to improve. Allow the Holy Spirit to change you.

Luke 3:16-17 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 

Lord of Life

How is your relationship with Jesus? How do you view yourself with regards to Jesus? Do you view yourself as only slightly less than Him? Do you view yourself as unworthy of Him? Do you see Him as your Savior? Do you see Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords?

We can often think more highly of ourselves than we should. It is especially easy when we compete against someone with lesser talent. It doesn’t matter if it is on the court or in the office. When we can do something better than someone else, we get all puffed up.

Unfortunately, we sometimes do that with Jesus. It happens when we have been particularly kind to someone we may not like. We think, “Wow! Look at me! I am acting like a Christian should.” The kindness is good. The pride in our actions is not. Rather than being prideful about it, we should give thanks to God for guiding us down that path, giving him the credit.

John the Baptist was not a man of pride. He was honestly pursuing the mission God had given him. Make no mistake about it, he called it like he saw it. But he knew his position in God’s plan. He knew the Messiah was coming and He was completely out of John’s league. John knew he could not hold a candle to Him.

We would do well to have an attitude like John. Yes, Jesus is our brother. However, He is a brother than is so much greater than any of us that we cannot hold a candle to Him. When we see Him as the creator of the universe, our perspective changes. When we see Him as King of kings and Lord of lords, we understand that only He can rule our lives. At that point, we submit to Him and release all our pride.

I pray we all recognize the power of Jesus. I pray we know that He is the creator of the universe. I pray each one of us view Him as King of kings and Lord of lords and allow Him to rule our lives. See the power of Jesus. Know He is the creator. Allow Him to be the Lord of your life.

Luke 3:15-16 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.”

Laying On of Hands

Have you ever experienced the laying on of hands? Do you know what it means to lay hands on someone? If you have had hands laid on you, did you experience a strange feeling, joy, or peace afterward? Do you regularly ask God to speak to you through the Holy Spirit?

Depending on the denomination you worship with, we may or may not see or experience the laying on of hands. The laying on of hands may take place during a baptism, ordination, or while praying for healing. Each denomination has their own traditions.

When infants are baptized, often hands are placed on them during a portion of the ceremony. When men and women are being ordained into the ministry, hands are typically laid on them during the ceremony. The laying on of hands is to impart upon the recipient the blessings of God through the person or persons who are laying on their hands.

While praying with someone in the hospital for healing, laying on of hands may take place. However, rather than laying on of hands, the touch may come by holding the hand of the person seeking healing. The intent is the same—to pass on God’s blessing through the person who is praying for the healing.

We see in today’s passage two of the apostles’ laying hands on new believers to give them the Holy Spirit. Though this may seem odd to us, the apostles had been gifted with additional gifts by Jesus that we don’t typically see today. During the infancy of the church, knowledge and experience was being passed along in fragments and it took time to piece them together.

Today, we have the full set of Scripture and can educate ourselves and others more quickly. When we baptize someone, we baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, thereby passing on the blessing and the gift of the Holy Spirit at that time. For those who have been baptized, they have received the Holy Spirit.

I pray we all realize blessings come by laying on hands. I pray we experience the laying on of hands. I pray each one of us know we have the gift of the Holy Spirit and lean on him for guidance. Blessing come through laying on of hands. Know you have the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Worshiping with Angels

Do you believe in angels? What do you believe about them? Have you wondered what an angel in heaven does? Have you wondered if they have different purposes? Do you believe they worship God? How do you think they worship him?

We may talk about having a guardian angel. We may say it was our guardian angel who kept us from some catastrophe. We like the thought of someone watching over us. But is the idea of a guardian angel correct? Perhaps we are actually experiencing the Holy Spirit being with us.

We see only a few instances in Scripture where angels interact with people. We see it in the book of Daniel. Perhaps the most famous are the interactions Gabriel has with Zechariah and Mary, prophesying the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. We also see an angel come to Joseph to tell him to stay with Mary. But notice those instances are temporary and the angels are carrying messages to people.

The Psalmist provides some insight to what angels do in heaven. They give God the glory, recognizing his glory and strength. They glorify his name and worship him in holy splendor. Can you imagine? Their worship of God is more glorious than anything we have ever experienced.

We can look forward to being part of the angel’s glorious worship. When our time on this earth is done, we will join in their worship of God. We will experience the awesome worship in heaven. We will be filled with such joy that we may think we will explode. We will be in the holy presence of God.

I pray we all look forward to worshiping God with the angels. I pray we worship him in truth and spirit today. I pray each one of us give God the glory he deserves and recognize his awesome power. Worship God in truth. Worship God is spirit. Give God the glory. Know God is awesome.

Psalm 29:1-2

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; 

worship the Lord in holy splendor.

Perfect Reflection

Are you comforted knowing you are called by name? Does it give you solace that you are called by someone else’s name? Do you know you were created for glory? Do you know you were formed and are being formed by God? Are strengthened knowing he will call you home?

God has promised to call each of us who follow him to be with him for eternity. He will call us by name to come to his side. There is no place on earth where we are too far for him to call us. There is nothing nor no one on this earth who can keep us from him when he calls.

Though many of the Israelites who heard the words of Isaiah thought he was talking about them, God is calling everyone who accepts him as their God and follows his Son. God will call every one of his sons. He will call every daughter. He will call all his children to be with him. It is no vain promise but a promise that God will fulfill in due time.

We should be comforted in knowing God will call us to him. We should be strengthened in our resolve to continue to follow God’s commands and seek to be like his Son, Jesus Christ. Not only will God call us, but he will glorify us in his glory. We will perfectly reflect him when we are called. It is for this purpose that we were made and for which God continues to form us.

I pray we all know God will call us by name. I pray we are strengthened in our resolve to follow him. I pray each one of us knows we will be glorified in the perfect reflection of God when he calls. God will call you by name. God will glorify you. You will be a perfect reflection of God.

Isaiah 43:6-7 

I will say to the north, “Give them up,” 

and to the south, “Do not withhold; 

bring my sons from far away 

and my daughters from the end of the earth— 

everyone who is called by my name, 

whom I created for my glory, 

whom I formed and made.”

God is Committed

Do you like hearing your name called? Do you enjoy it when others want to be with you? Do you want to rid yourself of fear? Would you like to be confident you have been redeemed? Have you read God’s Word and his promises? Have you read your name in Scripture?

We like having our name known by people for good reasons. We like it when they call upon us for something good. Yet, we may have a bit of fear spark inside us when our name is called by someone we do not know. If not fear, we may be skeptical, wondering what the person wants.

To alleviate our fears, we can read our name in Scripture, in the promises God gives his people. How? Replace the name you see with yours. In today’s passage, replace ‘Jacob’ and ‘Israel’ with your name. Just as God created Jacob, he has created you. Just as he formed Jacob into Israel, he is forming you into the new person he desires you to be.

God redeemed Israel, bringing them out of Egypt. He has also redeemed us, bringing us out of the prison of sin into the freedom of worshiping him. We are no longer oppressed by sin. I no longer wear the shackles nor are bound by it. Through Jesus, our chains have been broken, cast aside, and no longer restrict us from truly worshiping God as we were designed to do.

God has called each of us by name. He has brought us into a relationship with him that no one can break nor take away. God has committed himself to us. It is not a short-term commitment nor a flaky commitment. God didn’t call our name on a whim. God’s promises will never be broken. Therefore, we can rest assured that we belong to him now and forever.

I pray we all know that God created us. I pray we trust that God is forming us into the person he wants us to be. I pray each one of us know that God has called us by name into a relationship with him. God created you. God is forming you. God has called you. God is committed to you.

Isaiah 43:1

But now thus says the Lord, 

he who created you, O Jacob, 

he who formed you, O Israel: 

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; 

I have called you by name, you are mine.

Salvation Has Come

What do you think of when you are told the wise men visited Jesus and gave Him gifts? Do you immediately think there were three of them? Do you think of the three gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Have you researched to determine if it is true?

We often sing We Three Kings shortly after Christmas. We may allow this song to corrupt our thinking about who visited Jesus. Tradition can be very good and can also be misleading or non-factual. The idea of three kings visiting Jesus is just such a case.

Matthew tells us in chapter 2 that wise men (or magi) came to bring gifts to Jesus and worship Him. Wise men were not kings. They were very learned men who knew prophecy, astrology, and other areas of high education. But notice Matthew does not say how many of them there were. Therefore, we do not know how many.

Why would anyone suggest there were three? Isaiah 60:6 states people from three locations who will praise the Lord. Many will come with camels from Midian and Ephah. People from Sheba will bring gold and frankincense. Isaiah uses the plural and implies there will many who will come.

Psalm 72:10 is where we get the idea of kings. It states kings from Tarshish will render tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba will bring gifts. Is it logical to assume there was only one person from each location? If so, there should be five, since there are five different locations mentioned between the two passages.

Rather than focusing on the number of wise men, let’s focus on their desire to worship the King. They brought gifts that were fit for a king. They traveled a great distance to see Him and worship Him. These learned men knew there was something special going on and desired to see it take place.

Perhaps we should recognize there is something special going on. Jesus promised to never leave us. He promised to send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives within us. Why then would we choose to trust in worldly culture when we have the heavenly culture available to us? As we start this new year, let’s focus more on Jesus and God’s plan than on the world and its false ways.

Isaiah 60:6 

A multitude of camels shall cover you, 

the young camels of Midian and Ephah; 

all those from Sheba shall come. 

They shall bring gold and frankincense, 

and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.

Pay Homage

The wise men we have been discussing for the past couple days finally reach the home where Mary and Joseph are with the infant Jesus. When they arrive and enter the house, they see the child with Mary. Perhaps she is holding Jesus in her arms or maybe feeding Him.

The wise men kneel before Jesus. This is a customary action when coming before royalty. The wise men recognized Jesus as king of the Jews. Perhaps they even recognized Him as the King of kings. As they knelt, they paid homage to Him. They likely spoke words of praise and honor.

The wise men did not end there. They opened their treasure chests and brought forth gifts. We all know gold has a great worth. But we may know less about frankincense and myrrh. They are both resinous gums from the region of Arabia, specifically the modern country of Yemen. They were used in the best perfumes.

These were gifts fit for a king. The Queen of Sheba brought gold, spices, and precious stones to Solomon. The gold is obvious to us. Yet, the gifts of frankincense and myrrh were used to not only make the body smell good, but used to make incense smell good, therefore enhancing the smell of an entire room.

What do we bring as a gift to Jesus? Do we contribute to the church financially? If our mind is properly on Jesus, we can count that contribution as giving to Him. Do we bring a sweet-smelling attitude of grace and mercy? If we do, we imitate Jesus. Do we seek to follow Him and His commands? If so, we are being obedient to the King of kings.

I pray we all kneel before Jesus. I pray we praise and honor Jesus. I pray each one of us are filled with grace and mercy, seeking to follow Jesus, who is the King of kings. Kneel before Jesus. Praise Jesus. Honor Jesus. Be filled with grace. Be full of mercy. Follow Jesus. See Him as the King of kings.

Matthew 2:11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Sly and Conniving

How do you deal with sly people? Do you like dealing with them? Would you prefer to avoid them? What if you have no choice in the matter? Can you identify them as being sly? Do you try to be sly in return? What if the sly person you are dealing with is a government leader?

We may remark that someone is trying to be sly, but we have caught them in it. We then change our behavior or how we will react to their attempt at being sly. We may even chuckle at their attempt. But there are some who can be sly while appearing to be completely honest.

King Herod was being sly. He was conniving. He was a ruthless ruler who killed members of his own family because he thought they were seeking to usurp his authority. The Jews feared him. When he was frightened at hearing the ‘king of the Jews’ was born, so were the Jews who heard the news. They could foresee more killing being commanded by King Herod.

Notice that after King Herod was told by the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah would be born, he secretly gathered the wise men to learn the exact time the star appeared. Herod’s mind was already working on a plan to kill the child. Yet, he pretended he would pay homage to child in an effort to trick the wise men.

We may encounter sly and conniving people as well. It becomes more difficult to react appropriately to them when they are managers or leaders appointed over us. We must be both discerning and conscientious. To obtain the discernment we need, we should pray. God knows the entire situation and will guide us in the path we should take, which may include avoidance, specific opposition, or walking away from the situation entirely.

I pray we all ask God for discernment. I pray we seek to identify conniving and sly people. I pray each one of us ask God to guide us and follow his guidance on the pathway he wants us to walk. Spend time in prayer. Ask God for guidance. Ask God for discernment. Follow God’s guidance.

Matthew 2:7-8 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”