But what will everyone think? We ask this question when we fear our actions will cause others to think less of us. Peer pressure acts like an invisible hand guiding us toward socially acceptable behavior and away from those deemed negative. It can even shape our identity as we think about who we are. Will …
As the angel told Joseph in a dream, Jesus would save us from our sin. We need to look at the context of this revelation to understand how important these words are. Joseph was engaged to Mary, but he discovered she was pregnant. With a heavy heart, Joseph decided to break his engagement quietly to …
God spoke to Joseph in a dream as he pondered breaking his engagement with Mary. She was pregnant, and he knew the child was not his. God speaks to us in many ways and knows the best way to communicate with each person. He can speak through His Word, the Holy Spirit, dreams, circumstances, people, …
Merry Christmas! We have been looking at how God speaks at Christmas. First, He prepared for the event. The Lord spoke to the prophets hundreds of years before Jesus was born. They foretold what Jesus would do and where He would be born. Then, God sent the angel, Gabriel, to tell Zechariah he would father …
An angel quoted prophecy to Joseph in a dream from Isaiah 7:14 as he struggled with what was going on in his life. Matthew 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” [1] Joseph was engaged to …
In our modern society, we sometimes overlook the importance of dreams. But the God of the universe can communicate in dreams. Have you ever had a dream where you felt the Lord was speaking to you? As you read this, it may surprise you that the Lord still speaks to people in dreams today. Perhaps …
God gave another option to Joseph. In the day, engagement was as binding as marriage today. The engagement lasted about a year, and the couple would live separately with their parents as no sexual relations were allowed. The engagement could only be broken by death or divorce. When Mary returned from the visit with Elizabeth, …
Are you affected by what is going on in the world? Is it getting you down? Know that God can bring transformation through praise. The question is, how does that work? How can the Lord help me out of the muck and the mire? The Lord has given us praise as a tool. It may …
God’s plans are amazing, and an example is the creation of this world and all that is in it. Take time today to look around your natural world. Look at the trees, the clouds in the sky, the stars at night, and especially the people in your life. Think about what an amazing Creator we …
When you think of being led, what comes to your mind? Being led is wanting to follow. You also may think about the relationship a person has with the Lord. What is the Lord revealing to you as you read about being led by the Spirit? Why is being led sometimes difficult? The Scriptures compare …