12/17 Matthew 1:24-25
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
OBEDIENCE
Joseph believed God.
He obeyed God.
He was the earthly father of Jesus.
We honor him for his great faith.
Obey God-do what He says.
12/16 Matthew 1:18-23
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement[h] quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[i] for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,[j]
which means ‘God is with us.’”
STORY
God is in control.
Everything has an appointed time.
The time has come-the Father will become the Son.
A woman chosen.
A time designated.
Christ came in the form of a child-raised by common, poor folk in Israel.
HE came to be with us-to die for us-to save us.
12/15 Luke 6:38
38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.
MIRACLE
The miracle of sowing and reaping.
We reap what we sow.
Sow little, reap little.
Sow big, you reap big.
A truth of God.
Sow-it is better to give than receive.
Reap-gloriously from God.
12/14 James 1:17
17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.[a] He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
SAME
God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
His Word declares His truth.
Seek Him and find Him when you obey Him.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
12/13 Luke 1:46-48
46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
BLESSED
We are blessed with Jesus.
The mystery of God come to walk with us.
He knew humanity firsthand.
The creator walking with the created.
God is always in control.
12/12 Matthew 2:11
11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
KINGS
Kings came and honored Him.
Traveled far with amazing gifts.
His story began and His family witnessed it.
Jesus Lord and Savior, born in a manger, worshipped by pagan kings.
The world would never be the same.
Praise God for His glorious Son.
12/11 John 1:14
14So the Word became human[a] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[b] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
God with us.
His glory on display.
He loved us and walked with us.
He knew our pain and all the chaos we experience.
He knew no sin, it was not in Him.
To the cross to die and pay a price we could not pay.
God is still with us.
Jesus loves you.
12/10 Isaiah 9:6
6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
MESSIAH
Messiah predicted.
Messiah came with salvation.
Soon Messiah is coming back in judgment to take His people home.
12/09 Matthew 26:41
41Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
DAILY
Daily I wander, trying my own way and it blunders.
Careening into concrete walls of sin, oh Lord here I am again.
Forgive me, make me whole.
Help me be solid, controlled and under your control.
Keep short accounts with God.
Life is too hard without Jesus.
12/08 John 15:4
4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
HERE
Here I stand by God’s Holy Spirit.
I will never walk away again,
For alone I am by myself, but with God I am indestructible.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
