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October 10th

The Bible reading today is in Matthew 5-7...Christ’s Sermon on the Mount.

“Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain”,

Early in Jesus’ earthly ministry, word of His teachings and His miracles traveled fast around Judea, Samaria, and Galilee...and beyond. Crowds of people sought him out. Most were at least curious. But many of began to believe him and to follow him and the twelve.

Jesus would choose twelve as apostles to eventually be sent out with the gospel message as missionaries and church planters. But for now, the 12 stayed with Jesus wherever he went.

We read that Jesus saw the crowds and went up on the mountain (just outside of Capernaum). We shouldn't assume that Jesus was trying to dodge the multitudes. More than likely he knew that it would be better to address the crowd on the mountainside, so he led them there.

By the way, according to the gospel accounts, Jesus would often retreat to a mountainside for conversations with the Father. He desired that “alone time”. But today, from earth’s housetops, Jesus was teaching anyone and everyone on the mountain.

“and when he sat down”, his disciples (the crowd of seekers and believers) they came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them...

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭

On a mountain outside of Capernaum, Jesus would often retreat for conversations with the Father and the Spirit.

Please let me take a side road for a moment...Some have called the Rabbi “the lonely”, as though his singleness meant that he was truly alone and that we should try to understand that burden that He bore.

Yes, in his humanity, Jesus felt all that we feel. But, Jesus was far from alone. The Father and the Spirit were right there in constant fellowship with him and he with them. And so Jesus taught “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Who are the beneficiaries of the gospel? The Poor in Spirit...those who “finally recognize” that they can “never” afford eternal life. They “finally admit” that they cannot earn eternal life...the poor in spirit “finally confess” that they need someone who has what it takes to get eternal life for them. The poor in spirit will “finally hear” the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ...and hear it they will...all the way down to the depths of their souls.

And the poor in spirit will not only hear the gospel of Jesus, they will embrace it...embrace Him...run toward it...run toward Him...and believe it...believe Him...with utmost joy and gladness...For “their’s” is the Kingdom of heaven!!! Praise the Lord!

What else did Jesus say on the mountain that day?

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Who else will experience the joy of the Lord? The meek will.

Who are the meek? The slow to anger...those who yield their rights to God and leave the results up to Him. Who is the Meek One? Jesus. Slow to anger and quick to forgive and show mercy to those who offended him unjustly. Jesus, as the Lord of hosts, had the right to call 10,000 angels to his defense at the whipping post. Jesus had the right to call angel warriors to his aid during the shameful bloody walk with the cross through Jerusalem. Jesus, greater than the fire claiming Elijah, certainly had the right to call down fire upon the self-righteous and murderous religious leaders who played their part in his suffering.

And when Jesus hung on the cross, he had the right to call on the mighty Holy Spirit of power to lift him up so he could breathe through the pain. But he didn't...The Meek One yielded his rights to the Father and left the results up to him...which meant death that day and resurrection glory on the third.

The “meek ones” are those in Christ...and being one with Him, they, we, have the spiritual power to yield our rights when offended and give forgiveness and mercy instead of anger and retribution.

And how does that meekness benefit the Jesus followers? They are counted among those who inherit the “new earth” that is apart of the prophesied new heaven to come! Halleluiah!

And what else did Jesus teach that day on the mountain? Well, that’s the rest of the story...enjoy

Have a great day

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October 9th

The bible reading today is in Matthew 12:1-21, Mark 3, Luke 6.

“Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, “so that they might accuse him”. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “ Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭3:1-6‬

Jesus was back in Capernaum, His home between mission trips. And it’s the Sabbath. And Jesus was there in the synagogue along with some scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem. Oh, and there was a man there with a withered hand.

Because we know the end of this account, Jesus proved that He was at synagogue to worship. The national Jewish leaders from Jerusalem were not.

They were there to sit in the chief seats of recognition and judge Jesus for whatever He said or did so that they might accuse him. The religious leaders watched Jesus closely. But it wasn't in love...it was an investigation with hate at the core.

Jesus saw the man with the withered hand at synagogue. And he reached out to him to help him. Jesus knew that the hypocrites in the chief seats would accuse him of breaking the Sabbath if he helped the crippled man. But Jesus helped him anyway. And then Jesus publicly exposed the self-righteous loveless heart and soul of the Pharisees.

Those guys were used to “doing the exposing”. Today, God was doing it to them.

But instead of humbly confessing their sins and repenting of their wickedness, they left synagogue with one mind...to destroy Jesus.

And then we read about the righteous, selfless anger of Jesus toward these Pharisees. Later Jesus would call them “the blind”...the blind leading the blind.” They were choosing their man-made traditions over God the Son...and then teaching God’s people to do the same.

This is one of the few places where Jesus is described as having anger. It was righteous. He was angry at the hardness of their hearts.

Did you notice how Jesus commanded the man with a withered hand to “stretch out his hand”? It was paralyzed forevermore. Jesus was commanding the man to do something impossible for him to do.

Which meant that “God” would have to enable the man to do such a thing. The God who commanded it would be the God who enables it. Halleluiah!!!

Friends, when Jesus commands us to do something that seems impossible for us to accomplish, let us remember the man with the withered hand...God Himself will enable “us” to obey.

So let’s go for it. Stretch out that hand of faith in Him! “O Lord enable us to trust You...Your voice of the Spirit...Your word in the Bible...especially when Your assignments seem so out of our reach...so out of our comfort zones. Thanks, Jesus...

Wow...another live illustration of how much better Jesus is.

Lord, You don't just tell us what to do...You empower us to do it! No other god does that!

Have a great day.

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October 8th

The bible reading today is in John chapter 5.

“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:1-2‬

A multitude of very sick and afflicted people gathered around the pool of Bethesda in the city of Jerusalem, especially during feast times. It could have been Passover, it could have been Pentecost, or it could have been the feast of Purim. Whichever one it was, thousands of Jewish people were in the city...including Jesus and His disciples.

Surrounding the great multitude of impotent people at the pool of Bethesda was a greater multitude of Israelis awaiting the angelic appearance at the House of Mercy...or pool of Bethesda.

The people were looking to the pool or house of grace and mercy for their help or their salvation from any number of maladies. Yet they were about to see grace and mercy, not in the pool, but in the person of Jesus...the ultimate healer.

Something greater than a visit from an angel was about to happen.

“One man was at the pool who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”

The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:5-7‬ ‭

What hits me in that dialogue?...“Sir, I have no one...”

What a sad statement. ”Sir, I have no one...” “I have “no one” to help me into the pool, should the angel come...“I have no one, human or angel, to save me from this miserable existence.”

But soon the invalid would realize that this day “the One” he needed was there with him. Jesus “saw” this man and his hopelessness.

When someone would ask this man how long he had been waiting for his miracle, he probably said, “...for a long time.” But after Jesus met him and healed him, his “long time” sigh most surely turned to, “I'm so glad Jesus stepped into my “for a long time”...He changed everything!

“Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:8-9‬ ‭

“Get up...and walk”...was the same powerful statement that Jesus would use to address Lazarus, lying dead in his tomb.

Lazarus would rise and walk out of the tomb alive. The lame man...the paralyzed man that Jesus addressed stood to his feet and walked...completely healed...with a story to tell.

That was and is me...spiritually lame, halt, blind, and completely helpless. I could not save myself. But Jesus chose me among the multitude of needy people. I didn't deserve His attention. I didn't deserve His salvation. He just gave it to me and immediately I wanted Him. Immediately I could see Him, and immediately I ran toward Him on spiritual wings of forgiveness and faith.

How awesome the lame man must have felt. How awesome you and I in Christ felt at our conversion to Jesus.

And how awesome we may feel... every day... knowing that the “pool of grace” in Jesus, in which we stand, will always be more than enough for our “long time” seasons of sighs.

Have a great day.

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October 7th

The bible reading today is in Mark chapter 2.

“And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:1-2‬

Jesus had been traveling through the Galilean region. In that region, a leper came to him. And unlike others, Jesus ministered to him with compassion. In fact, Jesus ministered to him in power.

That leper knew rejection and cruel inhumane treatment from everyone. He probably expected it from Jesus too. But he had heard of the miracles done by his hand and he was desperate. Jesus reached out His hand and touched him and said...”I am willing...be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left the diseased riddled man.

At this point in Christ’s ministry, crowds began to gather to hear him teach and preach with a hope of seeing a miracle. Today Jesus is back home in Capernaum, the headquarters, you might say, of His three-year earthly ministry before His crucifixion and resurrection. Christ’s fame had spread in every direction. Jesus attracted crowds wherever He went. And it was no different in Capernaum.

Jesus preached the word to the overflowing crowd at his house. Mark doesn't tell us what Jesus preached. He simply emphasized the preaching ministry of Jesus.

It seems to me that Jesus was avoiding the streets because they had been turned into a healing campaign venue. Everywhere Jesus went people besieged Him with requests for healing and the casting out of demons. Jesus healed many. But nothing would keep Jesus from preaching the words of God!

So we could say that Jesus took advantage of people‘s curiosity and while they gaped, He preached to them the words of life.

Next...“And friends of Jesus came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:3-4‬ ‭

These friends guiding the caravan of the paralyzed man believed Jesus. The four men carrying the paralytic believed Jesus. They so wanted this paralyzed friend to be made whole again. They believed Jesus could and would heal him. But they thought they had to get him into the presence of Jesus in order for Jesus to heal him. So they tore a hole in the roof and lowered the body of the paralytic to the feet of Jesus.

Those friends...that paralytic...they “believed” and they were “determined” to get Christ’s help. And what happened? Jesus healed him and told him to rise and walk!

That was great...But there was something greater that was going in here. Jesus acknowledged the faith of the friends and said to the paralytic, “Son, I forgive you if your sins.”

Is that the something greater, bro Jim? Forgiveness of sin? Well, that was great for sure. But who was the only one who could forgive sin? GOD!

Jesus was claiming to be GOD!

Wow...now that was something greater than all...greater than anything! Praise you, Jesus...Thou art worthy of all of our worship, adoration, and service.

Have a great day

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October 6th

The bible reading today is in John chapters 2-4.

Jesus had lived on the earth for 30 years and had worked no miracle. There was the hiding of His power. He had lived and worked with His parents and brothers and sisters in Nazareth. Basically, Jesus lived a normal boy to young man life. Including, taking care of His mother after His dad’s death.

Now He has broken through the obscurity and has begun his ministry by performing a miracle, turning water into wine at a wedding celebration.

“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭2:1-6

John is writing a sort of diary of the days of Jesus’ life and work...” on the third day” after the calling of Nathaniel to follow Him, Jesus and His disciples went to a wedding in Cana of Galilee.

In Jesus’ life, every day had its work. Every day had its glorifying to God. Every day had its blessing to those about Him. With Jesus, there was never a lost day.

Every day, walking in a love relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit and His family and friends, was an adventure to be marked...to be noted... by “His” truth and grace.

May the Lord work in us in such a way that our relationship with Him will be notable “everyday”... for love and blessing toward others, “to His glory”.

There are a couple of things about the setting for the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry that catches my attention. First, why not Jerusalem where thousands of people could have seen Jesus break upon the scene as a miracle worker? Why did God choose an obscure little town, like Cana, with maybe 100 people, to introduce His son in supernatural power?

I’m reminded of something the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that helps me answer my questions...“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:26-29‬ ‭

God could have chosen the capital city of Israel to begin His son’s kingdom campaign. But...“it just wasn't His way”.

King Jesus was born in a stable, in a little nowhere village...to just plain hard-working people.

He grew up in a little place called Nazareth. Remember what the Jewish religious leaders said about that town?...“Can anything “good” come out of Nazareth?”

And now we read about the beginning of His ministry and how it took place in a poor little back settlement of Cana, “in Galilee of the Gentiles”...right off the bat, Jesus ministers to Jews and Gentiles. Interesting.

And by the way, at the end of His earthly ministry, He said to His disciples...“Go ye into “all” the world and make disciples...”

So Cana...really...? God would choose the foolish place...the weak place...the lowly place to exalt His Son, Jesus.

May we never forget that God’s ways are not our ways. He will always choose the way that keeps man from boasting in himself rather than in the Savior God.

Another interesting thing about the setting that interested me in the reading.

Jesus came to a wedding not too many days after His 40 days of fasting and temptations in the wilderness.. Perhaps the most strenuous, disturbing, conflicting time in Jesus' ministry prior to the Garden and Gethsemene. Who would have thought that the “holy man” would have been a good fit for a party?

Jesus was invited to a wedding celebration...the biggest party thrown in a poor little town.

Jesus and the first five disciples came. Perhaps Jesus knew them from boyhood, perhaps Jesus had already recently ministered to the bride or to the groom and impressed them, all the way to their hearts, with His message of the gospel.

But however He got there, Jesus was the Savior in the midst of people celebrating a special time in their lives. He was not only honoring the couple and their families, Jesus was honoring the God-given institution of marriage.

And little did they know that their wedding party would be “saved” by a miracle. A miracle by a carpenter from Nazareth. This son of Mary...this son of God...this son of man who was sent by God “into the midst of men” with a message of love and life that would far exceed the hope and joy predicted for the newlyweds.

Thank You, Jesus...You did life with people...for the sake of the gospel and the salvation of souls...as well as weddings.

Help us to not weary in well-doing, Lord...for Your glory and the sake of the gospel.

Have a great day

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October 5th

The bible reading today is in Matthew 4 and Luke 4-5 and John 1:15.

Let’s hear from the apostle John...“John the Baptist bore witness about Jesus, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me."

‭‭John‬ ‭1:15‬

John’s office and business was to bear witness, not of himself but of Jesus in all of His remarkable person and His powerful work from heaven to earth.

“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:3‬

Isaiah prophesied about the work of the Baptist. He would “cry out” as a witness to Christ. He wouldn't whisper, he wouldn't speak softly, he wouldn't speak timidly, he would speak clearly, openly, and publicly of Jesus the Messiah.

John would speak with vigor, conviction, and confidence. His was a cry of fervency that exalted the Savior God, the Messiah Jesus Christ.

Back to the text...“For from Christ’s fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:16‬

Earlier in John chapter 1, we read that Jesus was full of grace and truth. The Holy Spirit lets us know that Jesus was in and of Himself sufficient in grace and truth for his office and ministry as Messiah.

He had enough power and He had enough freedom to fulfill His redemptive purposes on earth. Therefore, if there should be any wonder in our minds about the measure of His ability to accomplish heaven’s plans for the salvation of the elect, being full (not half full but full) of the glorious grace and truth of the Godhead. That should erase any doubt.

And from Christ’s fulness, all disciples of Jesus receive grace upon grace. In other words, friends, on top of the grace given to us for repentance and faith for our eternal justification, Jesus gives us “more grace” every day for all of our struggles and challenges of living the “disciple / Christ life” before heaven. That’s awesome.

That grace today keeps me from giving up after sinning. It is also grace that helps me to say no to sinning. I'm saved by grace. And you and I are a work in progress by the gift of His grace. Another awesome!

To the text...“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:17‬

God appointed each of His laws. He appointed Moses to be the “giver” of those Laws. The Law pointed out the pollution of human nature and the guilt and punishment of sin. The law was a type and shadow of deliverance by the Christ. But the Law could not give the grace it shadowed.

It was a great honor bestowed upon Moses by God to be the Lawgiver.

But Jesus was and is still greater...because He gave Grace for eternal life and Truth that sets believers free...free from sin and death...free with power to live the life that they have been saved to. That’s Jesus!

No wonder the Baptizer said what he said next...“The next day John the Baptizer saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! I myself did not know him, but for this purpose, I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:29, 31‬

Jesus the Savior and John His witness...that was then...now “we” are the witnesses of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

Have a great day.

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October 4th

The bible reading today is in Mark 1 and Matthew 3 and Luke 3.

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:1-3‬ ‭

Luke listed the political leaders of the region that Jesus lived in and served in. Like any good historian, Luke gave a real, historical framework for the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

For instance, Tiberius was the Roman emperor during the three-year ministry of Christ on the earth. Tiberius was known for his cruelty against anyone who challenged his authority on earth.

Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea, was renowned for his brutal massacres of the Jewish people and his insensitivity toward the Jews.

Herod and his two brothers were tetrarchs in the region of Galilee and Iturea and Trachonitus and Abilene. They were all known for their corruption and cruelty.

Caiphas and Annus were the religious leaders in Judea at this time in history. Caiphas was actually the high priest, but his father in law, Annas, was the real influence in the priestly class. The mention of these two corrupt high priests reminds us that the Jewish leaders were more interested in power politics than in serving God.

And then there was John the Baptist. The word of God came to him in the wilderness. There, John began to fulfill his ultimate calling: to be the forerunner of the Messiah. He preached a message of repentance toward God to the Jews. Repentance was an action word calling for a change of mind and change of direction.

And he baptized the repentant Jews. Their baptism identified them with their need to get right with God. Our baptism, our immersion in water, identified us with the death and resurrection of Christ who saved us from our sins.

John was calling Jews to genuinely confess their unfaithfulness to God and come back to Him. Jews were familiar with baptismal ceremonies. However, it was sinful Gentiles who converted to Judaism that were baptized...not Jews.

So when Jews were baptized by John that was unusual. Their baptism was saying to all who watched, “I’m just as sinful as Gentiles.” Now that would be a baptism of repentance.

John’s ministry would be a fulfillment of prophecy. “As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:4-6‬ ‭

John would be aware of the prophecy of Isaiah and would connect it to himself.

How would he know that? Answer: The angel of the Lord told his dad before his conception. Awesome!

John’s message was that things could be set and made right. The Messiah is here to do things that are too big for man...like filling valleys, leveling mountains, setting crooked roads straight, and making rough roads smooth.

The Jews at that time thought that the problem was the Romans who politically oppressed them. John the Baptist told those same Jews that they were the problem...they had to get right with God, and the “way” to do that?

Jesus...He was the way!

Have a great day

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October 3rd

Today’s bible reading is in Matthew 2 and Luke 2.

Bethlehem was the birthplace of Jesus. This ancestral home of King David would become the first earthly home of the King of Kings...Jesus. Bethlehem was a small town, about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. In olden days, the town was called Ephratah. It meant “fruitfulness”. And the most beautiful fruit of Ephratah was the Christ child.

Now Bethlehem, in Hebrew, meant the “House of Bread”. Remember this? Jesus speaking to a great crowd in Capernaum?...“For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger..."

‭‭John‬ ‭6:33-35‬ ‭

Wow, the House of Bread was the birth place of the Bread of Life...Jesus Christ...How Awesome!

The night Jesus was born in Bethlehem. What a night, a king was born in a stable...that’s odd. Don't future kings usually get born in palaces? Yes, but the stable or sheepfold in Bethlehem was the palace for the Good Shepherd born there.

Do you see it? The child would know and love his sheep intimately. Love them so much that he would lay down his life for them, for the sheep of his pasture.

The night Jesus was born, God chose shepherds to be the Messiah’s first witnesses. Shepherds in the MiddleEast, even to this day, translated into an old man teaching and training children and young people to lead and feed and protect the flock of sheep that under their watch.

I have thought it interesting that God would choose the young and the old, the children, and the elderly to receive the angelic announcement about the important baby in a manger.

The children would have had the capacity to accept the wonder of it all. And the old had the experience and the history and the faith to explain the events in light of the word of God.

The young would have had the energy level necessary to take the wonderful story of the newborn king to the “whole town”. The old would have had the credibility to support the eager witness of the young.

A stir begins as soon as Christ is born. He hasn't spoken a word and he has not performed a miracle. He has not proclaimed a single doctrine. But when Jesus was born, at the very first, while as yet you hear nothing but infant cries, and you can only see infant weakness, still his influence upon the world is made known. When Jesus was born, it was wise men from the east that came and so on...such infinite power in the infant Savior.

Reminds me of two passages that speak of the finger of God. One from the magicians in Egypt and one from Moses at Sinai...

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭8:16-19‬

“And the Lord gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words that the Lord had spoken with you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭9:10‬

Today, Jewish Rabbis will often include the raising of the little finger before the congregation recites the Shmeh Israel. It’s a reminder that their God has more power in His little finger than all the false gods put together.

Every Christmas I remember that Jewish tradition. But I don't think of the God of the Exodus from Egypt...I raise my little finger and think of the saving power in the tiny hand and fingers of the newborn Christ lying in the manger for me and you.

Have a great day

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October 2nd

The bible reading today is in Matthew 1 and Luke 2:1-38.

I believe the purpose of Matthew’s gospel was to reveal Jesus as the prophesied Messiah, King of Kings of Israel, and the rest of the world.

I believe Matthew’s purpose for writing also included a forever reminder from Jesus to His disciples... “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭

Truly, this is Jesus’ “great commission” to us who follow Him. Let us never forget the grand assignment that he gave to his first followers, and that they have passed down to us from Him...” make disciples” ...of all nations...and teach them to walk with Jesus according to His words.

In Matthew chapter 1, we read a very long list of names. Some we remember quite a bit from our reading. Some we remember primarily by the difficulty we still have in pronouncing their name, and then

we get to the end...Jesus. And there it dawns on us that this is Jesus’ family tree. Proving His legitimate claim to the throne in Israel. The son of David...just as prophesied in 2 Samuel 7: 12. His Kingdom would be forever!

...” and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ."

Matthew made it clear that Joseph was the husband of Mary, but that he was not the biological father of Mary’s boy, Jesus...just as Isaiah prophesied...“And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:13-14

Joseph would not be the father of the Messiah Jesus...God would be!

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, “before” they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The miracle birth...Jesus/born of a virgin...Emmanuel...God on earth with men. Jesus the Christ...the prophesied Messiah of Israel and the world!

The virgin birth. Mary was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit before she and Joseph came together. That was a hard concept back then and it still is today. Think of Mary and her betrothed, Joseph. Both Godly, both put in a difficult situation. Yes, glorious in the main way of God choosing them to birth and raise the promised Messiah. But oh so hard as they lived the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy.

O the questions, O the stares, O the whispering, O the judgmental gossiping that was going on in their hometown of Nazareth. That would have been hard to live through for that young couple. Mary’s honor, her reputation, her marriage, and her life was at stake.

But God gave the young couple grace and truth and faith to endure those months and those subsequent years of raising their firstborn under so much suspicion and false judgments. The truth of the supernatural conception of Jesus was disbelieved by many. The truth was questioned...like the Pharisees to Jesus in the Temple...“They said to him, therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8:19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Charles Haddon Spurgeon taught his church in London, England...”There was no other way for the Messiah Jesus to be born. For how could he have been born of a sinful father, and He wind up with a sinless nature?

Jesus was born of a woman that he might be human, but not by man that he might not be sinful.”

Praise God for the miraculous supernatural virgin birth of Jesus. That way He qualified as the perfect sacrificial lamb for our eternal salvation from sin and death and hell. Thank You one more time Jesus...we will tell the whole story as You give us strength.

Have a great day.